Imagine if
by S.c.ou.s.er.4.li.f.e
Summary: Imagine if..Lily had gone out with Sirius instead of James. Both blinded by love but with the risk of losing a friendship is it worth it?
1. In the Beginning

It was September 1st and them James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew (aka the Marauders) were standing on Platform 9 3/4 waiting to board the train.  
Sirius spotted Lily Evans. A smart (and in both his and James' opinion), beautiful 7th year - who also happened to be the new Head Girl at Hogwarts. Lily walked over and greeted the Marauders.  
"Hi." Lily said  
"Hi." James, Remus and answered. Peter squeaked a reply. Sirius said nothing

Truth was, Sirius adored Lily more than anything but the only thing that was between him and the girl of his dreams was his best friend. No girl was worth losing your best friend.  
"Guess who was made Head Boy." James laughed  
"Who?" Lily inquired  
"Sirius!"  
"You're kidding!" Lily laughed. Her laugh made Sirius' heart skip a beat.  
"Unfortunately he's not." Sirius grimaced "Who's Head Girl anyway?"  
"That would be me." Lily answered  
Both James' and Sirius' jaws dropped. Neither could believe what they had just heard. There was a silence, but that was soon broken by a girl yelling after Sirius.  
"Oi!" She yelled "Sirius!"  
Sirius cringed. It was his sister. Sirius heard her footsteps as she walked over, praying silently that she would go away but then he realised. She wouldn't. She was Remus' girlfriend.  
"You were meant to help me!" Hannah said to him, her blue eyes flashed with anger. She turned to James and Remus.  
"Hey James, hey Rem."  
"I'm sorry." Sirius muttered  
"Hi." Lily said to Hannah   
"Hey Lil." Hannah smiled. She was the only one there who knew Lily liked Sirius but both of them knew she could never go out with him. James was his best friend and was absolutely besotted with her.

"So how's your summer been?" Lily asked  
"Boring." Peter said whilst James and Remus answered "It was okay."  
Sirius glanced and Hannah. No one there knew she was his sister, it wasn't something either of them found relevant/important information.  
"Well besides me getting made Head Boy." Sirius added, "Nothing much really happened."  
"What about you Hannah?" Lily asked,  
"I got stuck minding my little brother." Hannah muttered "All summer!"  
"Poor you." Lily giggled,  
"It's not funny." Hannah snapped  
"Come on, we best get on the train." Sirius said. "Don't want to miss it do we?"  
"Since when have you been so keen to get to school?" The Marauders asked.  
""He just wants to get close to Lily."" Hannah thought ""It's so obvious""  
Lily, Hannah and Remus all knew Sirius liked her but all knew Sirius would never sacrifice his friendship over a relationship.  
"I'd lose the glazed look if I were you bro." Hannah whispered to Sirius.

"Is it that obvious?" Sirius asked  
Hannah nodded  
"Oh look who it is." James muttered as they boarded the train "Snivellus."  
"What have you got against him?" Lily asked,  
"You mean apart from the fact he is a total slime ball and a Slytherin?" James retorted  
Lily glared at him.  
"Oh come on Lily, it's true." Sirius said  
Lily's glare turned to Sirius but this time it wasn't a death glare like James' had been.  
"Are we going to sit down or what?" Peter asked, his nose twitching.  
"Why don't you find somewhere to sit!?" Hannah snapped at him. It was no secret between everyone there that she despised Peter almost as much as Lily despised James.  
Peter stormed off in a huff.  
"Why do you hate him so much?" The three remaining Marauders asked.  
"Do you want a list?" Hannah asked, "He creeps me out and he is THE most annoying little twerp _ever_.  
James snarled her. Lily secretly agreed with her, there was something about Peter that just wasn't right.  
"You did not just snarl me!" Hannah fumed. Hannah always felt like killing James, he was too bigheaded for his own good.  
"Cool it," Sirius said quickly before an argument broke out "Just cool it will you, sis." the last bit just slipped out.  
"What did you just say?" Remus, James and Lily asked. Hannah shot him a death glare.  
"Nothing!" Hannah and Sirius said quickly  
"Yeah right." They muttered, "You called her "sis."

Sirius gnawed his lip.  
"If you must know." He said, "She's my half-sister."  
"What?"  
"We've got the same dad!" They both answered

"This has got to be a joke right?" James said  
Hannah shook her head.  
"In all of seven years, you failed to mention this."  
"It wasn't relevant!" Sirius stuttered,  
"Sure it wasn't." James coughed  
"Maybe they had a reason to keep it quiet." Lily suggested, "Did you?"  
"Well, yeah." Hannah said, "I hate the fact that _everyone_ compares us. Just because I ain't as smart or as talented as Sirius. All I get is ""You should be more like Sirius."" It makes my blood boil."  
"Hello, the ""You should take a leaf out of your sister's book, you don't see her getting into trouble"" speech is just as bad." Sirius muttered.  
The other three looked totally lost in the conversation. They had gotten lost approximately when they had mentioned they were brother and sister.  
"You still could have told us." Remus said  
"Well you know now."  
"We gonna sit down or what?" Lily said.  
"You're sitting with us?" James and Sirius asked.  
Lily decided to ignore that comment and sat down anyway. Secretly she couldn't wait till they got to Hogwarts because then she could spend some time with Sirius and it wasn't as if it would affect anything.

The five of them sat down. Lily sat in the corner by the window, Hannah snuggled up to Remus, James and Sirius sat opposite. Every so often either Lily or Sirius would look up and steal a glance at the other.  
There was silence; it was broken when the lady with the food cart came. They each bought something.  
"Will someone please say something?" Sirius muttered, "This silence is unbearable!"  
"How about we talk about a prank we can play on Snivellus." James suggested,  
"Cool." Sirius and Remus said. Hannah and Lily rolled their eyes, neither agreed with what they did to Snape, but it was fun to watch. Hannah was what Sirius described as an "Honorary prankster" which basically meant just because she didn't agree with what they did, she would pull pranks sometimes just for the sake of it and when she did they were brilliant.

"Oh by the way Hannah." Lily said, "I love the hair!"  
"You mean the pink?" Hannah asked,  
"Yeah, it's pretty cool."  
"It's only a bit of styling gel." Hannah answered,  
"It's unique." Sirius added "No other girl has two different colours in their hair. Pink at the bottom and chestnut at the top."  
"How on earth do you know my hair colour's chestnut? I don't even know that."

"Can you girls leave?" James asked, "So we can change."  
"Sure." Hannah and Lily said and they left.  
"I wish I knew what they were saying." Lily said,  
"Oh there is a way." Hannah smirked "It's called my diary has a hidden microphone and I know for a fact Sirius will try and read it."  
Lily looked bemused for a second, until Hannah pulled out something and flicked the ON switch.

This is what they heard  
"What's this?" James asked, referring to the diary.  
Sirius let out a hollow laugh.  
"Ooo I've been trying to get my hands on this for years." He said, "Hannah's diary."  
"How about we read a bit!" James suggested  
"Oh yes." Sirius and Remus added  
'James read aloud'

**"August 5th.  
Dear Diary, sometimes I wish I never had a brother or brothers. I wish I was an only child. I'm sick of people treating me inferior to Sirius. I'M MY OWN PERSON. I swear, he's turning into James, A bigheaded ignorant idiot."**

James stopped there.

"How can you think Sirius is turning into James?" Lily asked.  
"Not everyone fancies him y'know and anyway you don't live with him every single day of the year." Hannah replied "I'm going to get my diary back before I cause some serious damage."  
"I think you may already have." Lily muttered.  
Hannah stormed through the door and screamed. Seeing her brother half naked was something she hadn't counted on. The looks she got said it all. James had never exactly liked her anyway, well not entirely anyway, he had only really started to dislike her when she snubbed him when he asked her out in second year, he just tried to hide the fact that he didn't like her. Sirius at this present moment in time felt a sense of loathing towards her as she had written that she wished she was an only child. Remus didn't know what to think of her.  
"Personally I hope that teaches you never to read my diary again." Hannah snapped and snatched it off him. "What is your problem?" James asked, sneering at her  
"My problem?" Hannah asked, "I ain't the egotistical, self obsessed idiot."  
The Marauders stood there gobsmaked. Even Lily was amazed, she'd wanted to say that to James for years.  
"Is there anymore in there that you wouldn't like us to read?" Sirius asked,  
"Actually, yeah there is." Hannah answered coolly "The rest of that page."  
Sirius dived at her and grabbed the diary.  
"You wouldn't!" Hannah yelled,  
"Try me." Sirius said and opened to where they had last read.

**No offence to Sirius but he is. James hates me anyway - it's so obvious. I don't think his ego took that I found it so easy to turn him down.  
I'm writing this now whilst looking at my ring. I mean wow.  
**  
Sirius stopped.  
"You asked my sister out?" He asked James "And what ring?"  
"Yes." James muttered.  
And Hannah added  
"This ring!" putting a diamond ring on her finger.  
"That looks like an engagement ring." Sirius said slowly.  
"That's because it is!" Hannah snapped

Sirius looked like he was about to explode.  
"WHAT?!"  
"I'm engaged." Hannah said "It ain't a crime you know."  
"Who?" Sirius asked, jaw dropping and then turned to Remus. "You?"  
Remus didn't say anything but he looked extremely uncomfortable. He didn't need to say anything, Sirius had already guessed. James looked at him with an ounce of jealousy, even though he disliked Hannah, part of him still fancied her. Apart from Lily she was the only girl who had turned him down.  
"So what if he did!" Hannah said "What's it to you?"  
"You're my sister." Sirius replied. "You could have told me!"  
"I know I am." Hannah glowered "But what have you got against me getting engaged to him, and _don't_ you _dare_ say that you don't trust him!"

Hannah stalked out of the door, leaving Sirius biting his lip and Lily trying not to giggle at the sight of Sirius.  
"I'd finish getting changed if I were you." She said through stifled laughter and she walked out gracefully.  
Sirius tried hard not to blush but he couldn't help it.  
'_This has got to be one of the most embarrassing moments ever' _ He thought.  
The marauders didn't sit with the girls after that for the rest of the journey. This made a path for Peter to come and join them without having the menacing glares or the knife-cutting comments. Part of Sirius was glad to get to Hogwarts - partly because being Head Boy meant being able to pull pranks on Snape and get away with it. It also meant two other things: -  
Detention giving for no reason  
and  
Lily.

When they got to the station it was cold, wet and there was a howling wind that whistled through the trees.  
Sirius was beginning to feel rather guilty about what had happened on the train. He knew he could be annoying and he knew exactly how to wind Hannah up. He felt guilty about the fact that he had actually READ her diary, the one thing he swore he would never do. He may have wanted to find it and just make her think he had read it but he would never have actually done it and what made it worse was that she was now blanking him.  
Lily on the other hand was slightly angry with Sirius but she still loved him. _"This year"_ she thought _"opposites will collide"_ Not only were Lily and Sirius nearly 100 different they both had different views when it came to dealing with Slytherins. Lily would on the odd occasion give them the benefit of the doubt but Sirius would curse them whenever possible.  
"Earth to Lily!" Hannah laughed, "Are you receiving?"  
"What?" Lily shook her head and came crashing back into reality - she had been day-dreaming.  
"We've got to get off the train." Hannah said  
"Oh."  
"Sirius?" Hannah asked, already knowing the answer  
Lily nodded  
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Hannah giggled.

"Help me find Hannah will ya." Sirius asked the marauders.  
"Why should we?" James asked  
"Yeah, why?" Peter squeaked  
"Cause she's my sister." Sirius answered "And that means something whether you believe it or not."  
"I'll help." Remus said  
"Thank you."

The two of them didn't need to walk very far since the two girls walked past the window opposite.  
"Hannah!" Sirius yelled "Lily!"  
Hannah deliberately ignored him '_Sirius isn't the only one who knows what buttons to press'_ Hannah thought.  
"Hannah, just answer him." Lily whispered  
Hannah still didn't say anything  
"Look. I'm sorry." Sirius confessed "Really sorry."  
Hannah knew he meant it. Sirius never said sorry to her unless he meant it. She turned round and smiled slightly at him. She still felt disappointed in him or reading her diary but he was still her brother and no matter how much he wound her up and tormented her, she still loved him.  
"Are you gonna get off the train?" Hannah asked


	2. Home again

Sirius grabbed his trunk and got off the train. He saw Hannah and Lily waiting for him. He hugged Hannah when she walked over.  
"You're mad at me." He said "I can tell."  
"I'm not mad." Hannah replied "Disappointed, but not mad."  
"Forgive me?"  
Hannah thought for a moment but already knew the answer.  
"Always." She grinned.  
Sirius hugged her again but this time a number of students saw them. Most people in the school thought Hannah and Sirius were an item, that Hannah just used Remus as a front. This might have just added suspicion to it.  
James envied the relationship between them. Something he would never have with his sister - something that he never got a chance to have.

"Students!" They heard Hagrid say, "Students get in'ter the carriages!"  
He pointed to a number of horse-drawn carriages.  
The marauders got into one and Lily and Hannah got into another one with two of their friends (there were four to a carriage).  
"What's the deal with you and Sirius?" Clare asked Hannah "I mean you two looked pretty close just then."  
"I could ask you the same thing about Paul." Hannah replied "And nothing is going on between us!"

"Sure there isn't!" Carolyn coughed  
"There isn't!" both Hannah and Lily retorted  
the other two rolled their eyes.  
"He's my brother!" Hannah snapped  
"Oh my God!"

Meanwhile the Marauders were working on their latest prank.  
"So it's settled then." James said, "Snivellus and Malfoy are our first targets!"  
"Agreed." The other three responded

"But what are we going to do?" Sirius asked

"I still got plans for the prank we never pulled last year." Remus said

"I thought we got rid of that." James looked confused "After someone found one of our plans."

"It was an accident." Sirius said, "She didn't mean to."

"Sure she didn't" James coughed

"You're kidding?" Clare exclaimed, "Right?"

Hannah shook her head

"And anyway I'm not the one who fancies Sirius."

"Well who does?" Clare asked

She looked from Carolyn to Lily

"Who?"

"Me." Lily confessed

"You don't?" Carolyn looked like she was about to be sick

"You're only saying that because you like James." Lily retorted

"I still can't believe James asked _you_ out." Carolyn added looking at Hannah

"Anyway, enough about Sirius and James." Lily said, "I wanna hear about Paul, I want all the juicy details about what happened over the summer."

"Yeah." Hannah and Carolyn said, "Has he asked you out yet?"

Clare nodded and the girls squealed

"Finally!" Lily giggled "It took him long enough!"

Both the marauders and the girls had fun the rest of the journey to the castle. To them it seemed weird being back at Hogwarts after the summer. It felt like coming home! They just wished that this wasn't going to be their last year.

"It feels strange doesn't it?" Lily said "The fact that we're leaving at the end of this year and are never coming back."

"It seems like home." Clare said

"Yeah, I know." Sirius said behind them

The four girls looked at each other and giggled.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Sirius looked scared. Usually when girls giggled around him they were planning something - the last prank a girl had pulled on him ended in humiliation - for Sirius and James!

He glared at Hannah and Lily, which made the four girls laugh even harder. They couldn't help it - Sirius was just being paranoid.  
Lily felt a bit sly on him though but then remembered all the pranks the marauders had pulled on her. She may have fancied Sirius but he was still a bit of an idiot with a slightly inflated ego. Hannah winked at him. She could see the paranoia in his face. It was fun winding her brother up. She looked at the scar on the back of her hand and let out a small laugh. It was from when both she and Sirius had decided that they had to be bound by blood and they both had an identical scar on their right hands - they'd only been six, how where they supposed to know they'd end up in hospital when they couldn't stop the blood flow.  
"What you looking at?" Lily asked  
"Scar!" Hannah answered  
"How did you do that?"  
"Long story." Hannah said "Quite funny. I'll tell you later."  
The marauders were behind the girls and they shook their heads.  
"What are they laughing at?" James asked  
"Me!" Sirius muttered  
"Go figure." Remus chuckled "Probably know 'bout you and Hannah."  
They saw Hannah raise her right hand to Sirius, which made him laugh slightly  
"What?" The other three asked  
"The scar on the back of my hand." Sirius explained "It's from when we were six and we got some stupid idea into our head and ended up cutting along our hand. We ended up in the accident department in the hospital."

The marauders burst into hysterical laughter.  
"It ain't that funny." Sirius whined  
"Yeah it is." Remus and James laughed.  
Sirius sulked"Tell me now." Lily said  
"Do I have to?" Hannah asked  
Lily nodded  
Hannah explained - this made Lily giggle. Both Clare and Carolyn heard this.  
"What you giggling for?" They asked  
Lily told them - this made the three of them giggle even harder.  
"It really isn't that funny." Hannah said  
"It is to us."  
Hannah turned round and mouthed to Sirius  
"I am never gonna hear the last of this."  
"Me neither!" He mouthed back

They entered the Great Hall, which was buzzing with noise. The girls took their usual roll opposite the marauders. The only reason they sat here was because Hannah was Remus' "girlfriend" (only the marauders and Lily knew they were engaged), Carolyn had a huge crush on James and (of course) Lily fancied Sirius.  
When Sirius walked past, Hannah handed him a note that said  
_Just ask her out_

He read it over and over.  
"Ask who out?" James asked  
Sirius just shrugged  
"Dunno."  
He glared at Hannah  
"You know I can't." He mouthed  
Hannah just rolled her eyes. _'He rules with his head and not his heart'_ she thought.  
"Who you rolling your eyes at?" Lily asked  
"Sirius." She muttered "For being such a prat!"  
Lily just shook her head. Being a prat was what he was best at doing.

There was silence as Dumbledore stood up.  
"I'd like to welcome you all back to another year at Hogwarts." He smiled "I would also like to introduce our new Head Boy and Girl - Sirius Black and Lily Evans."  
Everyone cheered - apart from most Slytherins.  
"Mr Filch has also asked me to remind you that there are a number of items that have been banned this year - there is a full list going up in each common room."  
Everyone groaned.  
"I hate it when he bans things!" Sirius muttered "It's usually something we've used on him or something we have just bought to use on him."  
The girls laughed. Remus and James cursed him under their breath.

"You're quiet Peter!" Sirius remarked  
"Maybe it's because I can feel her eyes on me." He squeaked - meaning Hannah.  
"You mean my sister?" Sirius asked  
"Yeah."  
"I'll stop freaking him out." Hannah smirked "If he stops being an annoying little pipsqueak."

"I am not an "annoying little pipsqueak"." Peter muttered  
"Could've fooled us." Clare and Lily said  
Sirius, James and Remus glared at them.  
"Do not look at me like that." Hannah snapped  
They were about to retaliate but Dumbledore had another announcement.  
"When Professor McGonagoll reads out the names of the new first years you are to step forward and place that hat on your head for you to get sorted.  
Professor McGonagoll got out a list and called out the names of the new first years.

**_(A selection of them)_  
"Jacinta Hendwick."  
'Ravenclaw'  
"Kiara Shukraan."  
'Ravenclaw'  
"Scarlet Wells."  
'Gryffindor'  
"Helen Bradley."  
'Slytherin'  
**

"Not many Gryffindor's this year are there?" Sirius said  
"Well compared to last year, No." Lily added  
"Wonder if this year will be as interesting as last year." Carolyn pondered  
The rest of the girls shrugged. The boys said nothing.  
"I hope so." Remus said "But then again, it's never boring."

"Never is with you babe." Hannah smiled  
Everyone else rolled their eyes (by that I mean everyone except Hannah and Remus).  
Secretly Lily wanted with Sirius what Hannah and Remus had - a steady relationship, which had trust. But all this was just a fantasy - probably never gonna happen.  
Sirius thought the same way Lily did, he wanted exactly what she wanted - a steady relationship. Normally when Sirius went out with a girl it was just for fun. Between him and James they had gone out with most of the girls in their year. He wished that he had never promised James that he would never touch/go out with/kiss and girl he had ever gone out with or liked. James had promised Sirius the same thing. But then again it wasn't as if Sirius and James actually kept promises - well besides this.  
Sirius shook himself mentally - _it's never gonna happen_ he thought.

"What was with the look?" Hannah asked  
"No reason." Sirius said a little too quickly.  
"At least I ain't scared of commitment!" Hannah retorted.  
Sirius was trying to think of a witty comeback but couldn't. Hannah started twirling a lock of her hair.  
"You realise that you twirl your hair when you're agitated?" Sirius and Remus remarked.  
"No."  
"Anyway Hannah." Lily and Clare said "He may fear commitment but at least he ain't scared of responsibility."  
"Oh my God!" Hannah responded "He is THE least responsible person I know - well besides me anyway."  
"That is true." James said, laughing slightly.  
Both Hannah and Sirius glared at him.  
"I was being sarcastic." Hannah snapped at him.  
"Yeah, what she said." Sirius added  
Hannah leant over and hit him across the head.  
"Idiot." She muttered  
"Hey!" Sirius pretended to be offended and stuck his tongue out at her

"Brothers." Hannah muttered to Lily "If I could live without him, sometimes I would."  
"But you can't." Lily smiled  
"Hell no." She giggled "I'd be lost without him."  
"Lost without who?" Sirius, Remus and James asked  
"Who do you think?" She directed this at Sirius.  
"Didn't know you cared." Sirius teased  
The girls rolled their eyes.  
"Oh my God." Hannah said "I have just found an upside to being Sirius' sister and I cannot believe it's took me this long!"  
"What is it"  
Hannah smiled at the girls and mouthed something to Carolyn and then something to Lily. It took them all of 10 second to work out what she was saying and they started giggling.  
"How did it take you that long to figure it out?" Lily asked  
"I have no idea." Hannah answered  
"What are youse talking about?" Remus asked  
"Nothing." They answered, innocently.  
Clare looked at them and they simply whispered 'matchmaking'

Clare still looked slightly confused so Hannah whispered

"Lily and Sirius plus Carolyn and James equals love."

"So glad I already have a boyfriend." Clare laughed "I do not trust you in the least when it comes to that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hannah asked

"Well, your choice in guys hasn't exactly been great." She responded

"Hey!" Remus said

Hannah shot her a look (Clare)

"Only because none of them are like Paul." Lily teased

"Right of the subject." Carolyn said

"Lets talk about the summer holidays then." Sirius said "Anything interesting happen? And this time I want the truth!"

Clare and Carolyn looked at them confused

"Don't ask." Lily muttered

"Well Paul asked me out!" Clare squealed

"Who's Paul?" The marauders asked

"Some guy who she goes to badminton with during the summer." The girls replied

"My band got a gig." Carolyn told them

"You're in a band?"

She nodded

"Your turn Hannah."

"You already know about my summer."

"We don't!" Clare and Carolyn said, "Details!"

"What does this tell you?" Hannah asked, showing them her engagement ring.

They squealed.

"I take everything back about your choice in guys." Clare said "You might actually have done something right in that context."

"You knew!" Carolyn said to Lily.

"Of course I did." Lily answered, "I've known for like all of 3 hours."

"Why didn't you tell us?" They asked,  
"'Cause I didn't."  
"Wait a minute." Peter squeaked "You and Hannah are engaged?" - this was said to Remus  
"Yeah," He answered  
"Anyway enough about this." Hannah said "What about Lily?"  
"What about me?" Lily asked, "I got nothing to tell."  
"Sure." The girls said, "Now spill."  
"I have honestly got nothing to tell." Lily repeated "And anyway me and Sirius have got to go to Dumbledore's office."  
"Have we?" Sirius asked  
"Yeah, something to do with new responsibilities." Lily said, "Now come on."  
"We might as well go to the common room then." James said  
"Okay." Sirius shrugged "See ya later then."

Sirius and Lily walked out of the Great Hall towards Dumbledore's office. Lily took hold of Sirius' hand but Sirius quickly withdrew it.  
"Lily you know I can't, I can't do that to James." Sirius said looking into her emerald green eyes  
"I thought you loved me?" Lily said, her throat tightened  
"I do, you know I do, but I couldn't just do that to James." Sirius said still looking into her eyes  
They walked in silence to Dumbledore's office and Sirius said the password 'SHERBET LEMON' they walked up the stone stairs that appeared in front of them.  
"Hello, Professor Dumbledore?" Lily said  
"Hello you two." Dumbledore said coming out of the shadows, "I need to discuss some responsibilities for this year with you."  
Sirius groaned but only so Lily could hear  
"Right 1st one is you are in charge of any events coming up e.g. dances etc and the two you have to go to said dances together."  
Lily and Sirius looked at each other, it was the perfect excuse to be together without anyone being hurt.  
"You are also expected to act responsibly and help pupils in lower years." Dumbledore added  
Sirius sighed slightly - no way was he suddenly going to act responsibly.  
"Is that all?" Sirius asked,  
"Yes, for now." Dumbledore said, "You may go."  
Lily and Sirius walked back together in silence, through the portrait hole and up the stairs to the split where they went to the common rooms. Sirius kissed her and wished he had done it sooner. Stood there under his invisibility cloak was James...


	3. Broken Friendships

James felt as if his heart had just been ripped out and that he no longer had a best friend, he brushed past Sirius and he quickly withdrew from Lily.  
"What, What is it?" Lily asked  
"James, he saw us." Sirius looked so shocked because he had just realised what he had said to Lily "I've got to go and find him and explain."  
"What about us?" Lily asked her eyes filling with tears.  
"Nothing, I value my friendship too much, I've just done the one thing I promised I wouldn't."  
Lily ran up the stairs to the boys dorm to find Hannah and Sirius ran into the common room in hope of finding James.  
"James?" Sirius whispered "James are you in here?"  
"GO AWAY PADFOOT!" James shouted  
"Not until you let me explain." Sirius whispered.  
"WHAT'S THERE TO EXPLAIN, I SAW YOU KISS LILY AND THATS ALL THERE IS TO IT!!" James shouted back  
"No, it isn't, so I kissed Lily, I can't help how I feel." Sirius explained "I didn't want to at first but I just kept fighting it because I didn't want to betray our friendship but the more I fought it the more I wanted her."  
"Since when have you liked Lily?" James asked trying to hold back the tears, "You knew I had my heart set on her, and yet you still kissed her."  
"I know that, but I've liked her ever since we shared that detention together in our 2nd year." Sirius said still whispering, still feeling really guilty  
"She's just gonna end up like all your other girlfriends, your gonna end up breaking her heart." James shouted with tears streaming down his face. "I can't even trust you anymore."  
"But James I'm your best friend." Sirius said  
"I have no best friend." James shouted back.

Lily was running up the stairs towards the marauders dorm tears streaming down her face, she ran into the dorm and started sobbing into a pillow on a bed.

"Hey, Lily what's wrong?" Hannah and Remus asked (Peter had fallen asleep)  
"I don't want to talk about it." Lily said muffled  
"You didn't do something stupid did you?" Hannah asked  
Lily rose her head slightly and nodded  
"I kissed Sirius." Lily said sobbing  
"WHAT!!" Hannah and Remus shouted  
"And what's worse James saw us."

Meanwhile in the common room

"What? James,, you can't mean that." Sirius said,  
"I do, as far as I'm concerned I HAVE NO BEST FRIEND!!" James shouted and ran out of the common room.

Sirius stood there shocked and feeling really guilty, he couldn't believe anything James had just said or that he had just done what he had just done. He wished he was in a dream and anytime now he would wake up and find that he was back at home and hadn't started Hogwarts yet.  
He couldn't believe in the space of an hour he had kissed the girl of his dreams and lost his best m8 at the same time. He got his quill out from his pocket and wrote two letters one to James and one to Lily

**_one read_**

**I'm really sorry, I'll do anything to make it up and be friends again. I didn't mean to hurt you, you're my best friend and you always will be. Please find it in your heart to forgive me.**

**_The other letter read_**

**ROSES ARE RED  
VIOLETS ARE BLUE  
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS  
KNOW THAT I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU.**

He went to the owlery and picked two school owls and sent the two letter to Lily and James. Both got their owls almost straight away.  
"Hey who's it from?" Remus asked  
"Dunno, it doesn't say." Lily said confused  
"What does it say?" Hannah asked

**ROSES ARE RED  
VIOLETS ARE BLUE  
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS  
KNOW THAT I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU.**

"SIRIUS!" Remus and Hannah said instantly and looked at each other laughing.

James however knew who his letter was from straight away and read aloud

**I'm really sorry, I'll do anything to make it up and be friends again. I didn't mean to hurt you, you're my best friend and you always will be. Please find it in your heart to forgive me.**

As he read this his head dropped and he didn't know how he could have been like that to Sirius, like he said it wasn't his fault he liked Lily, maybe he should just accept that it was meant to happen.

James wandered around for about half an hour looking for Sirius under his invisibility cloak, when he finally found him he suddenly realised he had the marauders map in his pocket the whole time, he saw a small dot labelled Snivellus (cleverly done by Sirius) heading straight towards them. He grabbed Sirius, covered his mouth and put the cloak over him and pointed to the map so he understood.

"Thought you weren't talking to me." Sirius said  
"I wasn't, until u sent me that owl." James replied  
"You guessed it was from me then?"  
"Yeah I think it was the you're my best friend and you always will be' bit that sort of gave it away." James said laughing "Shhh here comes Snivellus."  
Snape walked passed unaware that Sirius and James were even there.  
"Friends?" Asked Sirius hopefully  
"Always." James said giving him a high five.

They walked back to the common room under the invisibility cloak, through the portrait hole and up to the dorms.

"Hey, you guys talking to each other?" Remus asked  
"Yeah!" They said, "I figured a friend is more important than a girl any day." James added.  
Clare and Carolyn walked in  
"What?" They asked  
"I'll fill you in later." Hannah promised.  
"Hey, where's Petes?" Sirius asked.  
Remus and Hannah pointed towards his bed.  
"All he ever does is eat and sleep." Sirius said.  
Everyone laughed even Lily who had just emerged from behind the drapes of the bed.  
"Hey have you been crying Lils?" James asked looking at her rather red, wet face.  
"No, I've been having the time of my life. What do you think?" Lily shot at him. "And don't call me "Lils!"

James muttered something under his breath.  
"What?" Lily and Hannah asked  
"Nothing!" James said  
"Yeah right." Hannah retorted,  
"So what if I did." James added "It's not like a little s'''' like you can do anything about it!"  
Everyone in the room turned on him.  
"You did not just call her a s'''''!" Sirius shouted,  
"I just did." James snarled back  
This earned him a slap - not from Sirius or Remus, but Lily!  
James wanted to retaliate but he would never hit a girl - instead he punched Remus, he staggered back. James realised what he had just done and stormed out of the room.

"You okay?" Sirius asked Remus  
He nodded slightly but couldn't move his head properly as Hannah was holding an icepack to his eye to stop it from swelling and from bruising as bad.  
"What was that?" Clare asked "And by that I mean with James."  
"He's jealous." Lily said quietly  
"And he's just found a way of getting back at me." Sirius added "Without hurting me or Lily."  
"Through me." Hannah said  
"I don't think he meant to hurt Remus though." Sirius muttered  
"Dunno about that." Remus muttered, winching slightly with pain. "James doesn't see who he hits just as long as he hurts someone, that's all that counts."  
"I wouldn't mind." Lily said "But I hate him!"  
"Okay, seriously lost here." Clare and Carolyn said  
"I'll explain later."  
"How about now?" They asked "In the girls dorm."

"Alright!" Lily said "You coming Hannah?"  
"Yeah, in a minute." she said  
The girls left and went to the girls dorm.  
"I'm okay." Remus squirmed  
"Fine then." Hannah pretended to be annoyed as she knew it wound him up. "See ya later."  
She went to catch up with the girls. When she went into the girls dorm they were waiting for her.  
"Come on Lily." Carolyn said "Spill."  
"Sirius kissed me!" She whispered  
"Oh my God!"  
"And James saw us!"  
"And James likes you." Clare said "And Sirius is his best friend!"  
"I know!" Lily muttered "And now James isn't going to speak to Sirius."

"Maybe it's a blessing in disguise." Hannah stated "I mean James is a little b'''''' anyway!"  
"Hannah!"  
"What?" She said "I hate him! he's already tried to ruin my relationship with Remus and not to mention he asked me out!"  
"Just stay happy with him long enough for him to go out with me." Carolyn pleaded  
Hannah just shrugged  
"Maybe this year we might actually get our dream guys!" Lily giggled

"I already have." Clare and Hannah said.  
"Well we don't actually know what Paul looks like as you refuse to show us a picture of him!" Lily said  
"Well he's for my eyes only." Clare responded "And anyway I spent too long trying to get him."  
"Yeah, and you convinced yourself that Cath was better looking than you." Lily and Carolyn laughed. "And that he fancied her more!"  
Clare stuck her tongue out.  
"Looks like Carolyn is the only one who needs to be set up." Hannah laughed

"Like I need to be set up!" Carolyn commented

"You do." Lily said "If you want to go out with James, which, if you do you must be off your head!"

Carolyn threw a pillow at her.

"Hey, I got an idea." Clare said "How about we describe our ideal guys and say the most romantic thing a guy has ever done for us."

"Yeah okay." The other three said

"I'll go first." Clare added "My ideal guy would have blondish hair, a gorgeous body, great personality and be good at badminton."

"Paul!" Lily and Hannah laughed

Clare nodded

"And the most romantic thing a guy has ever done for me is...."

"What?"

"I don't know really, Paul has done that many romantic things that I can't decide."

The four girls giggled

"My turn." Carolyn said "My ideal guy would have black hair, totally gorgeous, clever, a prankster and good at Quidditch."

"James."

"Yeah."

"Most romantic thing is when this lad took me for a moonlight walk, I can't really describe it but it was really romantic."

"You want to go next?" Lily asked Hannah

"Whatever." Hannah said "My ideal guy is Remus, purely because he's kind, caring, intelligent, quite good looking and of course the fact that he is really romantic and is my fiancé."

"Most romantic thing?"

"There's two - one was when Remus asked me out it isn't that romantic but it was really sweet 'cause he didn't want to jeopardise our friendship and the other one is when he proposed."

"Aww."

"Your turn Lil."

"My ideal guy would have black hair, damn fine, clever and he wouldn't risk his friendship for a girl." Lily smiled "Most romantic am not saying as I don't want to share it."

"Aww come on Lily." Hannah said

"No!"

"Why not?" Clare asked

"Because I'm not okay!" She snapped "I'm going to bed."

"No." Hannah said "You need to tell us why."

Lily grabbed hold of Hannah and took her outside the girl's dormitory and into the common room.

"If you must know." She muttered "No guy has ever done anything romantic for me. All men are jerks anyway!"

Hannah slapped her unintentionally.

"Not all men are jerks."

"Oh yeah, I forgot Remus is a total saint." Lily snapped

"I wasn't talking about Remus." Hannah retorted "And he ain't a saint but even through all his faults, I love him!"

"Well who were you talking about then?" She asked

"Sirius." Hannah replied "No one can cal him a jerk, yeah okay he may not be perfect but he's my brother. And I know for a fact that you love him and he loves you. The only reason he won't go out with you is James."


	4. The madness that is love

"I think you should read this." Hannah added and handed Lily a poem, which read

**I DO NOT OWN THIS POEM NOR DID I WRITE IT**

**Touched by Angels**

We are touched by angels

And walk were angels tread

They will guide us

Walk beside us

Through the days ahead.

In our hours of darkness

When our dreams have flown

They bring us hope,

And gentle healing

We are not alone.

In our times of doubting

Still they understand

And forever touched by angels

We walk hand in hand.

"Wow." Lily breathed, "Where did you get that?"

"Sirius wrote it." Hannah answered "For my 16th birthday."

"What about your 16th birthday?" Sirius asked, walking into the common room

"The poem you wrote." Hannah whispered

"Oh my God, Hannah! Sirius exclaimed, "You promised you'd never show anyone!"

"I had to!" She said, "You didn't hear what she said!"

"What did you say?" Sirius asked Lily

"That all men are jerks." She whispered

"Ah." Sirius said, "That won't go down to well with Hannah."

"I guessed when she slapped me!" Lily replied

Sirius looked at Hannah

"I'm going." She said suddenly

"Where?"

"Where do ya think?" She asked

She left and went to the boys dormitory

"Hey." She smiled

"I thought you were staying in the girls dorm." He said

"Was." Hannah stated "But I thought I'd come back as I was in the common room."

Remus looked at her confused.

"Don't matter." She said

Remus rolled his eyes; he leant in and kissed her. When they broke apart, Hannah whispered

"I'm glad we got the whole year together. I missed you, I hardly saw you over the summer, except for 4 days."

"We've got the rest of our lives together." He said, placing his hand on her cheek.

"I hope so." She whispered.

"Hope?" Remus asked softly "You having doubts?"

"I don't know." She said

"You can tell me if you are."

"I want to get married!" She assured him "I'm just scared we'll grow apart."

He held her in his arms and kissed the top of her hair.

"I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled

"Why won't it go down well with Hannah?" Lily asked

"I'm not saying, you're best asking her." He answered

"Just tell me something at least."

"Just lets say if it wasn't for me Hannah wouldn't be at Hogwarts!"

"Why?" Lily pressed

"I can't say!" Sirius snapped

"Fine."

"Oh, Lil. I didn't mean it like that." Sirius sighed, "It's just that I swore I wouldn't and anyway I value the relationship I have with her and we're the only family each other has."

"I'm going to bed." Lily said "Night."

She kissed him on the cheek and walked to the girl's dormitory. Sirius followed but went to the boy's dorm. He walked in and saw Hannah and Remus kissing.

"Step away from the girl!" He said, cupping his hands like a microphone.

They broke apart.

"Sirius!" Hannah exclaimed

"Sorry." He muttered

"I'm going to bed." Hannah said

"Night." The two boys said

When she left, Sirius said

"I really cannot figure out girls."

"Lily?" Remus asked

"No, just girls in general."

"Well you can work it out tomorrow, I'm shattered."

With an "interesting" day back, the 8 friends slept. None of them knew what was in store for them for the forthcoming year

I know not a very good place to end it but it was the best I could come up with. Sorry


	5. Things don't always go according to plan

The next morning, Sirius refused to talk to James as he punched Remus, Remus felt like he was caught in the middle of the whole thing. The girls however were their usual giggling selves. Today was the day Hannah was putting her plan into action - getting Carolyn and James together.  
"This is my only shot." She said, "Just lets hope he's in a good mood."  
"He best be." Carolyn said, "What happened yesterday anyway?"  
"He punched Remus." Lily muttered, "After I slapped him."  
"You slapped him?" They asked amazed.  
She nodded.  
"Didn't I tell you yesterday?" She asked  
"Dunno, can't remember." Clare answered, "Why did you slap him anyway?"  
"He called me a s----!" Hannah sighed  
"What?"  
"Am amazed you didn't slap him." Carolyn added,  
"Nah, I had Sirius sticking up for me." She smiled  
"Why is he so protective of you?" Lily asked,  
"He nearly lost me." Hannah responded quietly "And that's all am saying."

"Aww come on Hannah." Lily said "Why you and Sirius so secretive?"  
"Because." Hannah retorted, "It's in the past and that's where it's staying!"  
The girls weren't going to give up without a fight but a look from Hannah made them rethink asking at the present moment in time.

"So what's your plan?" Carolyn asked  
"Dunno." She answered, "Ain't thought of one."  
"What do you mean you ain't thought of one?"  
"Well, I was just gonna use my charm and good looks to help me and make it up as I go along." Hannah added  
The girls rolled their eyes.  
"Come on." Lily said "We got some matchmaking to do."  
All four girls had a slightly mad glint in their eyes. As the marauders were already in the common room and the girls greeted them. Hannah kissed Remus on the cheek and sat on his lap. Clare, Carolyn and Lily sat in chairs by the marauders. Lily wanted to kiss Sirius desperately but at this present moment was unsure where she stood with him, especially after the night before. She looked at him and smiled slightly, he returned the smile and mouthed something to her but she couldn't quite make it out. James and Peter looked slightly sickened at how loved up Remus and Hannah were.  
"Oh pur-lease." Peter muttered "Since when have you two been so loved up anyway?"  
Hannah simply waved her hand at him as she was too busy kissing Remus. Clare and Carolyn pretended to be sick and James made a gagging noise.

"Oh be quiet." Remus said when they broke apart. "Just because you haven't got a girlfriend Prongs! It's not my fault that I have."  
"Oh please." He responded  
"Jealous?" Remus loved winding James up, but then again all the marauders found fun winding each other up.  
"This has got to be a record you know." Sirius added "You not having a girl start of term."  
The two of them started laughing.  
"Oh, ha ha ha." James muttered sarcastically.  
"You coming down to breakfast or what?" Lily asked  
"Alright." Sirius said "We'll follow you 4 down."  
The girls left and Carolyn said to Hannah  
"Will you not wind him up."  
"Can't help it." She giggled  
Carolyn looked like she was about to snap.  
"Calm down." Clare said seeing the look on her friends' face.  
She (Carolyn) took deep breaths.  
"Sorry, I'm just all worked up." She apologised  
"It's alright."  
"Help me think of ways to get you two together then." Hannah said  
"Why?" Lily asked "It's your plan!"  
"I'm only doing it to help Carolyn out." She responded "Well and you eventually, but you're easy."  
"How so?"  
"Sirius is my brother and I know exactly what buttons to press and what strings to pull." She grinned evilly. "You four will be together by the end of next week, I guarantee."

"Well here they come now." Clare said, looking over her shoulder.

"Fine, I'll ask him now." Hannah said

She waited for the marauders to catch up and said to James

"Can I just speak with you for a minute?"

The marauders looked at her.

"It's urgent." Hannah snapped impatiently – she was hungry.

"Oh alright." He muttered

The three remaining marauders walked ahead

"What do you want?" He asked Hannah

"I want you to do me a favour." She muttered

"What's that?"

"Can you please ask Carolyn out?"

"What?"

"Please?" Hannah begged "I'll do anything for you to say yes."

"I'll do it on one of two conditions."

What are they?" Hannah asked

"Either you split up with Remus or you make sure Sirius and Lily don't go out together."

"You want me to WHAT?!" Hannah screeched

"Either you split up with Remus or you make sure Sirius and Lily don't go out together." James repeated "You do on of them and I'll ask her out."

"You want me to give up my happiness, Remus to give up his and Sirius and Lily to give up theirs?" Hannah asked in shock

"Yeah." James said this with no emotion.

"You sicken me!" Hannah yelled


	6. Love is a tie that binds

She stormed off, tears brimming. She knew that James could be cruel but she didn't know that he could be so heartless! She ran into the Great Hall and sat down and she turned to Carolyn and snapped.

"You can do it yourself."

"What happened?" They asked

Hannah shook her head; she didn't even want to think about what he had just said without explaining.

"He's a heartless so of a b----!" She muttered to herself.

Sirius, Remus and Peter had just noticed that she was there and they saw that she had tears trickling down her face.

"What's James said?" Sirius asked

She sniffed

"How do you know that it has anything to do with James?" She asked

"Don't take a genius to work it out."

"You do realise that you just called yourself an idiot." Lily laughed

Sirius blushed slightly but shrugged it off.

"What did he say?" Sirius repeated

"I don't want to say." She muttered

"That bad?" Sirius asked, "Cause you never not say anything unless it's really, really bad."

"It's nothing." Hannah said

"You're a bad liar you know that Han." Lily and Clare said "Now what did he say?"

Tears fell down her face.

"Don't make me use magic on you." Remus muttered

"You wouldn't?"

"I would, if you don't tell."

Hannah sighed

"I asked him if he would ask Carolyn out and he said he'd do it on one of two conditions."

What were they?"

"Either I split up with Remus or I stopped Lily and Sirius from going out together."

Sirius looked like he would explode

"Where is he?" He bellowed

"Don't go after him Sirius!" She warned, "I can fight my own battles!"

The whole school had gone quiet and someone dared to whisper "Lovers tiff.".

There were a few giggles, Sirius had his fists clenched – the joke about him and Hannah being "an item" had gone on long enough. He hated people would still think it after four or five years. The other three girls and the marauders knew that it wasn't true but none of them could escape the giggling, the whispers and the questions asked and the comments remarked.

"Don't rise to it." Lily whispered to Sirius "It'll only make it worse."

One Slytherin walked past commented

"Having another little tiff are we?"

There was anger written all over Sirius' face, he desperately wanted to hit him but he did what Lily told him to do and didn't rise to it. And anyway he was on the Slytherin Quidditch team so there was always then to take revenge out.

He added

"Well if you don't want her then I'll have her."

Bam 

Sirius punched him. The hall went quiet for a few moments and then everyone erupted into whispers. He left almost at once. He couldn't take it anymore. The hall was still immense with whispering. The others didn't know what to think of the events few moments previously.

"Why have I got a bad feeling about this?" Lily asked

"I don't know." Clare and Hannah muttered in reply "But so do I."

"You wouldn't have done it would you?" Remus asked Hannah

"Do what?"

"Do what James asked." Remus said

"Of course not!" Hannah retorted, "What do you take me for?"

"I just had to ask." He explained

"Well I wouldn't!" Hannah said "I mean Lily is my best friend, Sirius is… y'know," (She didn't want anyone else apart from the marauders, Clare, Carolyn and Lily to know) "and you're my fiancé and I love you."

"Come on." Lily said, after a few moments of an awkward silence "We got lessons."

"Why give us lessons on the first day back?" Peter asked

"Because they're evil that's why." Carolyn said, "What have we got anyway?"

"Double potions!" Remus answered looking at his timetable. "With Slytherin!"

"This day just gets better and better doesn't it?" Hannah sighed

"You'd of thought they would have learned not to give us double potions with the Slytherin's by now wouldn't you?" Clare stated.

They all sighed heavily.

"We got that new Potions teacher anyway." Hannah said "He might actually teach us something."

Everyone looked at her

"Compared to last year." She added

They all shook their heads. Last year had been a total disaster as far as Potions was concerned. They had had a new teacher that year and he had hardly taught them a thing. He had been a pushover and you basically did what you wanted to in the lesson – which included on pranking and almost torturing the poor man.

"Oh that was a fun year!" Lily laughed "Remember when he caught you and Remus kissing at the back of the class and threatened to send you to McGonagoll and you retorted with some weird but hilarious comment?"

"Oh my god, yeah."

"When did this happen?" Peter asked

"You were in the hospital wing." Remus said

"Oh right."

"I hope Sirius hasn't done something he's gonna regret." Lily said suddenly

"Me too."

"Me three!"

They arrived at the dungeon and saw their new potions teacher who was no other than…


	7. Potions

"Mum?" Clare whispered

"Clare." Her mum responded

"What are you doing here?" She was in shock, not once had her mum mentioned that she was going to be working at Hogwarts, let alone be the new Potions professor.

"I'm your new teacher." She answered sweetly and she walked into the classroom

"Please kill me now." Clare muttered to the others.

"Just think of it this way Claz." Lily stated "At least you won't fail Potions this year."

"Unlike me." Hannah sighed, "She hates me!"

Clare laughed and said

"Dunno who's got a worse year, you or me."

"Definitely you." The girls laughed

"I don't care if I fail Potions." Hannah added

"What are you guys rambling on about now?" Sirius asked appearing behind them

"Clare's mum is the new Potions teacher." Lily laughed

"Seriously?" He was trying to hold back laughter from the look on Clare's face.

"It's not funny." She snapped

"Yeah it is." They all laughed

Hannah looked at her watch and said

"Do you reckon your mum would give us detention if we were late?"

"Dunno." Clare answered, "Well, she might give you one."

They all laughed and walked into the dungeon, it still had that musty smell to it that made you crinkle up your nose when you walked in. No one noticed James walk in behind them.

"Welcome class, I am your new Potions teacher, Professor Wells." Clare's mum smiled "You may or may not know my daughter Clare."

Everyone in the class turned and looked at Clare, who immediately put her head in her hands and muttered

"Please get me out of here!"

Everyone in the class found the fact that Clare's mum was the new teacher very amusing.

"Now." Professor Wells said "Partners. We are going to be split into pairs – some will be a mix of Gryffindor's and Slytherin's."

The whole class groaned.

"**Mr Malfoy will go with Miss Sharpe."**

Carolyn groaned and had a look of disgust on her face.

"**Mr Snape and Miss Evans."**

Snape, Lily and Sirius looked shocked.

"There is no way that I'm working with him!" She muttered to the girls

"**Miss Caldwell and Mr Potter."**

"She's doing this on purpose." The girls said

"No kidding!" The marauders responded

"**Mr Lupin and Mr Black."**

"Oh great." Hannah and Lily muttered, "Best friends!"

"**Mr Pettigrew and Mr Nott."**

"She is having a laugh." Clare said "I'm gonna sort this out in a minute."

"**Clare will go with Mr McGuire."**

Clare looked over at the person her mum had just called out – It was Paul!

"Well," She said "I'll ask about your but not mine."

"That's Paul?!" The girls asked

Clare nodded

Paul was your classic "tall, dark, handsome" but with one slight snag – he was a Slytherin!

"Did you know he was a Slytherin?" Lily asked

Clare shook her head

"I didn't even know he came here!"

"Well know we know who he is." Sirius said, "Go fix our partners – No offence Moony."

"None taken." His friend responded

Clare walked cautiously over to her mum

"Erm.. Mum." She whispered

"Yes Clare?"

"Is there anyway, you could er..maybe..erm… change our partners?"

"You want me to what?"

"Please?" Clare asked, "I don't want you to change mine, just my friends."

"Who with who?" Her mum asked

"Carolyn and James." Clare said "Hannah and Remus, and Lily and Sirius."

Her mother looked at her.

"Very well." She sighed, "I'll talk to the Slytherin boy's and see if they mind."

"No!" Clare exclaimed, "Just tell them that they are now going together!"

Her mother shook her head and went over to Snape and Malfoy – Clare however gave the marauders and the girls the thumbs up.

That lesson turned out to be the wierdest one yet, but then again it was their N.E.W.T year and the potion they were brewing was a complicated one in which only two pairs managed to pass - Lily and Sirius and Clare and Paul.

"Wonder why she passed?" They heard some Slytherins mutter as they walked passed

Although she hated to admit it, Clare knew why. '_Why did she have to come here?' _she thought, _'This year is going to be a living hell!'_


	8. Confessions

"Come on." Lily said "Lets go back to the common room, we got a free lesson now."

"Cool!" The rest answered

They walked towards the Gryffindor common room and said the password (_firecracker_) and walked in.

"Tell ya what." The girls said, "We'll go to our dorm, put our books away and meet you guys here in ten minutes."

"Okay."

The girls ran up to the dorm and threw their books on their bed, Lily put on some music – which happened to be her favourite song (Holding Out For A Hero). The girls sang along to it.

_**(I do not own this song! You may recognise it from the film Shrek 2)**_

**Lily:** Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?  
**Clare:** Where's the street-wise Hercules to fight the rising odds?  
**Hannah:** Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?  
**Carolyn:** Late at night toss and turn and dream of what I need

**All:** I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night  
He's gotta be strong  
And he's gotta be fast  
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight  
**Hannah:** I need a hero  
**Carolyn:** I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light  
**Clare:** He's gotta be sure  
**Lily:** And it's gotta be soon  
And he's gotta be larger than life

**All:** (Larger than life)

**Lily:** Somewhere after midnight  
In my wildest fantasy  
**Hannah:** Somewhere just beyond my reach  
There's someone reaching back for me  
**Carolyn:** Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat  
**Clare:** It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet

And the song cut off.

The girls laughed hysterically. They hadn't laughed so much for ages.

"I love that song!" Lily laughed

"Me too!" The other three added

"I can't remember the last time we sang along to that." Hannah said

"I think it was last Christmas." Lily and Carolyn told her

"Oh yeah!"

"I swear." Lily giggled, "That song describes my life right about now!"

The girls burst into a fresh set of giggles. It was the thought of Sirius as a knight in shining armour.

"I don't think I could imagine Sirius as that." Clare laughed

"Me neither." Lily giggled "But a girl can dream can't she!"

Meanwhile in the common room 

"What's taking them so long?" Sirius asked impatiently "It's been 15 minutes already!"

"They're girls!" Remus stated, "What do you expect?"

"Good point."

James and Peter however looked lost in the whole conversation - for James it was mainly due to the fact that neither Sirius or Remus were talking to him. He felt a prang of guilty – he was jealous of both of them, he could admit that but he was too stubborn to admit to _them_ that he was, but, he decided to swallow his pride and apologise.

"I'm sorry." He muttered

Sirius and Remus turned and looked at him

"What did you just say?" they asked, "We didn't quite hear."

"I'm sorry alright!" James grimaced "I was jealous youse."

They sighed

"We know." They said, "We were just waiting for you to say it."

"I don't want to split you and Hannah up you know Moony." James confessed, biting his lip "And I don't want to stop you and Lily going out with each other Padfoot. I'm just sorry about what I've said, and I'm sorry for punching you yesterday Remus."

"Apology accepted for that." Remus said "But what do you say Padfoot?"

"We'll give you a chance to prove it." Sirius said "And then we'll decide!"

The four of them hugged – but not in a girly way!

The girls did come down about 10 minutes later.

"What kept you?"

"Nothing." They answered

"Yeah right!" Sirius said, "We heard a song."

"Was it that loud?" Lily asked

The boys nodded

"Who was singing?" James asked, "Because we heard someone singing."

"That would be all of us." Carolyn replied "Why? Were we that bad?"

The boys looked at each other

"All we're saying is." Remus said, "Is that you should never take up singing as a profession!"

The girls laughed

"Like we would!" Lily and Hannah laughed, "It was only for a bit of fun anyway!"

"Come on." Sirius said, "I at least want to do something with my free lesson."

"Well, I'm going the library!" Hannah said, winking at Remus "I need to get a book for my homework."

"We ain't got any yet!" The girls pointed out.

"It's called Transfiguration from the summer!"

They rolled their eyes, they didn't believe her – she had never been able to lie to them!

When she and Remus left, Sirius took hold of Lily's hand and took her to the Room of Requirements. He closed the door and kissed her passionately. Lily was blown away by the kiss. When they broke apart Sirius confessed.

"I love you, more than anything and I don't care about James anymore. I just want to be with you."


	9. Realising true feelings

**All split scenes will be at the same time (If that makes sense – if not I'm sorry)**

**Chapter 9**

Lily stood there, shocked. She didn't know what to say or think. She didn't know whether he was just saying it or if he really meant it.

"Do you mean that?" She asked

"I've never meant anything more." Sirius answered truthfully

Lily looked at him. A few tears spilled out of her emerald green eyes. She didn't even know why.

"Hey." Sirius whispered, "Why are you crying?"

He held her in his arms and wiped away the tears with the arm of his sleeve.

"I love you Lily." He added, whispering in her ear "And nothing will ever change that."

She smiled slightly.

"I love you too."

'_Maybe' _she thought_ 'just maybe, I might actually get something right when it comes to the male species' _

Sirius cupped the side of her face with a hand and kissed her again.

'_Damn, she's pretty._' He thought.

He broke the kiss ever so sweetly and rested his forehead on hers. He just gazed into her eyes for a few moments and he said

"You're the most beautiful girl I've ever met you know."

She laughed slightly

"You're not so bad yourself." She teased

Sirius chuckled

"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or not."

Lily smiled

"I would take it as a compliment." She said

"Well in that case, I will!"

They heard the bell go for lunch

"It can't be the end of free already." Lily said

"Well you girls did take like half and hour to get ready." Sirius pointed out

Lily hit him playfully across the head

"Come on then." She said, "We best get to lunch."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"What happened to going the library?" Remus teased as they fell through the door of the girl's bathroom.

"Exactly when was the last time I went to the library?" Hannah asked, stating an obvious fact that it had been years ago.

"Last time I can remember is when we did our O.W.L.S."

Hannah scoffed

"I still got my necklace y'know." She whispered "And I can still remember the words."

"What were they again?" Remus asked

"'_Know that I've always loved you and I always will ... Remus.'"_ Hannah smiled "You said it was for luck and love but that I didn't need any luck."

"I was right though wasn't I?" Remus stated, "You didn't need any luck, you passed everything."

Hannah looked at him and said

"Yeah right. I barely passed Defence against the Dark Arts!"

"And by how many marks?"

"Five!" Hannah answered "And that was only because of you."

Remus smiled again and kissed her gently on the lips.

"You do love me don't you Remus?" She asked quietly

"You know I do." He answered "More than anything."

The bell went to signal Lunch.

"Come on." Remus said, "We best go to lunch."

"Yeah." Hannah muttered "Don't want to collapse do I?" there was a hint of sarcasm in her voice

"Did you take your Insulin this morning?" He asked

"Remus, I'm diabetic – Not stupid!" She snapped

He looked at her concerned and was slightly taken aback.

"I'm sorry." She muttered "I didn't mean it like that."

Remus hugged her and said "Come on."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So how are you spending your free then?" Carolyn asked Clare

"I'm meant to be meeting Paul." Clare answered "But he probably thinks I've stood him up now."

"Go on, go find him." She said

"Nah." Clare said, shaking her head "He can afford to miss me for an hour."

Carolyn looked over at James

"Do you know what." She said to Clare "I don't think I want him anymore."

"Who?" Clare asked, She looked in the direction Carolyn had just looked in "James?"

She nodded

"I mean after what he said before." She continued "Argh!! I could boil his head!"

"So, if he asked you out now." Clare asked, "Then you'd turn him down?"

"Hell yeah!"

Little did they know, that was what he was about to do.

"Hey Carolyn!" James shouted

"Yeah?"

"I was just wondering if you'd go to Hogsmeade with me."

"James!" Carolyn sneered "After what you said before, I wouldn't go out with you even if you were the last guy no earth. Which your not!"


	10. Finally realising

Everyone made their way to the Great Hall and they met by the door. Most of them were freaked out by Clare and Carolyn's constant giggling.

"What have we missed?" Lily asked

This made them giggle even harder

"Oh, just Carolyn finally coming back into reality to see what a total prat a certain marauder is!" Clare said through stifled giggles.

This made Lily and Hannah laugh.

"We'll leave you girls here for a minute." Sirius said slowly backing into the Great Hall.

"Yeah." The other three agreed

They left the girls to calm down.

"It was about time Caz!" Lily laughed, "What _did _you see in him?"

Carolyn shrugged. They turned to Hannah.

"Did you get much homework done?" They asked

This sent the four of them into a fresh set of giggles.

"And there is no need to ask who practically chewed off Lily's lipstick." Hannah added.

The girls laughed harder.

"Come on." Lily laughed, "We best have some lunch!"

"Yeah." The girls agreed, "Lets."

They walked in and walked between the Slytherin table and the Gryffindor table.

"Hi Paul." Clare said

He ignored her.

"You stood him up didn't ya?" Lily asked

She nodded

The four girls sat down at the Gryffindor table and started talking and eating.

"Why is it?" Sirius asked "That _we_ have to start our lessons today but the rest of the school don't start until next week?"

"N.E.W.T's!"

They groaned

"This is going to be a repeat of our O.W.L.S." Lily muttered "Except this time I ain't going to save Snilvellus's butt!"

"Why did you do that?" They asked

Lily shrugged

"How am I meant to know?" She asked, "I must have been off my head!"

"I at least want to pass things by more than borderline." Hannah said

"I just want to get through this year!" Sirius and Clare said

"Me too." Lily, James and Carolyn added

They looked at Peter and Remus

"What about you guys?" They asked

Peter said nothing and Remus answered

"To at least get through the year."

They all looked at Peter.

"Are you alright Peter?" James asked

He nodded vigorously.

"Why are you so quiet?" Sirius asked

Peter shrugged

No one there knew that by the end of the year that they would hardly know him anymore or that he would distance himself from them. None of them knew that he would assist the most unlikely of people in carrying out a vicious crime. As far as they knew he was a marauder – one of the boys, someone who most of them there (the marauders and Carolyn) considered a friend. They didn't know that he would betray them.

**I'm sorry for the wait – I've been so caught up in everything I haven't had time!!**

**Anyway I hope you like.**


	11. Rachel

A few weeks passed and it was soon the middle of October. They found that Peter was becoming more and more withdrawn from them. At first they just thought it was because of Hannah because of all the stuff she yelled at him and the fact that she cursed him at every available opportunity, but there was something about his behaviour towards them that wasn't quite right.

Everyone in the school was looking forward to the Halloween ball. It was being planned for by the Slytherin 7th year, there were four balls in total – Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's and End of year and each house planned a ball. Usually Gryffindor planned the Halloween but they had decided that they wanted to do the End of Year one instead.

So they were quite eager to see what the snakes had come up with. Every one had been whispering that it would be hard to beat the Gryffindor's seeing as they had the marauders but every one knew that the Slytherin's would definitely try. They knew it would be inspired and brilliant but it wouldn't compare to it. And they were right. The dress code was costumes (always had been) but the costumes were outshading colours everywhere.

"They'll never do it." One Hufflepuff whispered to a friend as they walked past the marauders.

"I know they won't." Sirius added to the others silently.

"Listen James." Remus said, "Who are you taking to the ball?"

"Rachel." He replied "Rachel Buckley."

Rachel was a 7th year in Ravenclaw; she was also one of these girls that guys couldn't help but notice. She was tall and slim with green/blue eyes. She also had black hair with red streaks – some people associated her with being Goth, especially her best friends although no one would ever say it to her face. She was friends with Hannah and Carolyn but didn't know Clare and Lily well enough to be their friend. Hannah was scared of Rachel as she knew too much about her and would spread if provoked. Carolyn wasn't however. Carolyn and Rachel held a high respect for each other but could count on each other for a laugh, a good prank and advice.

They saw her talking to the girls.

"You need to do something with your hair Hannah." Rachel commented

Hannah snorted

"If Remus lets me."

"Oh my god!" Lily and Clare said, "Why do you need his permission?"

"Just lets say he ain't too happy with me after I bought a motorbike."

"You bought a motorbike?" Rachel and Carolyn asked

Hannah nodded

"Cool!"

"It's metallic blue. And it flies." Hannah added "Shame I can't keep it."

"Why not?"

"He won't even let me ride it!" Hannah exclaimed "So I'm giving it to Sirius, I mean he wants one really bad."

"I reckon you should just ride it." Rachel said

Hannah laughed

"Oh look who it is." Rachel sneered "Natalie!"

Rachel despised Natalie. It was just one of those things. It didn't help that Natalie always looked down on her – literally. Natalie was _too_ tall and it annoyed everyone that she used her height to intimidate people. Everyone had to hate someone. With Hannah it was Peter, Lily it was James and Rachel it was Natalie. It was hard to keep track of who Clare and Carolyn hated.


	12. Muggle Studies and Charms

"Rach don't!" Hannah begged

"Why not?" Rachel asked

Hannah was about to open her mouth but it was usless, nothing she could say would make any difference. Rachel would just do it anyway. Lily took out her wand, ready to perform a counter-curse - this was partly the reason why she wasn't friends with Rachel - Natalie was her friend even if she did piss her off sometimes. The same could be said for Clare, Carolyn and Hannah, they were all Natalie's friends but she did piss them off occasionally - especially Hannah.

"Oh Hannah were's your sense of adventure?" Rachel asked dryly. She whipped out her wand with practiced ease.

"Right about now, it's somewhere back home." Hannah muttered.

Rachel snorted and muttered _petrificus totalus_ - pointing her wand at Natalie. Everyone around her gasped - she had gone too far this time.

"You're _almost _as bad as James!" Hannah spat

Lily muttered the counter-curse and helped Natalie up and shot Rachel a glare.

"You can hardly talk Hannah!" Rachel retorted "You pure slag her off behind her back!"

Hannah looked guiltily at her feet - she knew it was true, even though she hated to admit it.

------  
"Did you see that?" Sirius asked "Was there any need to do that to her?"

James shrugged

"I can't say anything though, I mean I practically do that to Snilvelly all the time."

"Same here." The other three said

"You gotta admit though, she has got a bit of a temper." Sirius added

"Yeah, but she's gorgeous!" James responded

"What lesson we got now anyway?" Remus asked

"Muggle Studies!" Sirius said

-----

"DaDa." Rachel said. Then she snapped her head to them then laughed. "oh sorry! You're not in my house. I seem to do that a lot."

"Rachel!" Yelled a brunnette. "Get your butt over here!"

"Fine wait a minute!" Rachel hurried over to James give him a kiss on the cheek and whispered him something that had him grinning like a mad man.

Hannah cocked an eye brow and said

"What was that about?"

James just grinned and said

"Charms."

"Huh?" Asked Carolyn.

"We have charms next." He told them grinning and he sauntered away.

"I am surrounded by mad people!" Lily stated

"Yep!" Sirius replied, standing behind her. "Come on otherwise we're going to be late."

It wasn't as if Muggle Studies was any good. The only reason Sirius and James took it was because Lily did, the girls took it because it was an easy grade to get, Remus took it because of Hannah, and Peter because of the rest of the Marauders. It wasn't as if the teacher was any good, the class was filled with mostly girls as most of them fancied the teacher, which wasn't hard since he had a body that most girls longed to have around them. It had taken Lily, Hannah and Clare a lot of convincing to Paul, Sirius and Remus that they didn't fancy him. Carolyn however did.


	13. Home truths and surprises

Muggle Studies was as boring as usual, but with an unexpected twist, in the form of a substitute teacher. McGonagoll! It didn't help that the Marauders hadn't done their homework - write a report on Muggle Transport, not that any of them understood how Muggle Transport worked.

"That lesson was torture!" Sirius moaned

"I know!" Lily muttered "Usually I like Muggle Studies, I don't need to pay attention."

"Why McGonagoll?" Clare asked "Out of all the teacher we had to have her!"

"At least Charms can be fun." Sirius grinned

"For you!" The girls stated

"Well and me." Lily confessed

They laughed, Lily had this certain knack for charms that nobody else could master - it was just one of those things.

"James is drooling again." Carolyn said, rolling her eyes "Dreaming of Rachel?"

They laughed even harder - they couldn't help it.

"Remus does that though when he's thinking of Hannah." Lily pointed out

"So does Sirius when he's thinking of you." Hannah retorted, sticking her tongue out at her

Lily and Sirius blushed and every one laughed. Something that makes the blood run cold happened to wreck the mood - they all heard a blood curdiling scream. They all stopped dead in their tracks. Then they heard a a scream again,

"It's a girl," They said.

The noise was coming from the charms corridor.

"Rachel!" Hannah gasped "That's Rachel!"

They ran towards the corridor, they heard another voice shouting - it belonged to Lucius Malfoy

"I swear!" He yelled "You tell and you'll regret it!"

James ran and burst through the door - Malfoy had hold of Rachel's robes by the neck and had her pinned against the wall. He let go in sheer shock. Rachel ran into his arms, and he held her tightly.

"I'll save it for when you don't have someone to save you!" Malfoy snarled

James took out his wand and shouted

"_Expelliamus_!"

Malfoy was blasted to the other end of the room. Rachel sobbed.

"It's okay." James whispered

The others stood in the doorway and Sirius said

"We'll tell Flitwick that you'll be a bit late."

James just nodded.

"Wonder what that was all about." Lily whispered

"I don't know, but I've got a feeling it's got something to do with family issues." Hannah said, sighing

They looked at her blankly.

"He's her brother." Hannah explained

"But if they're brother and sister wouldn't they have the same surname?" Clare asked

"Me and Sirius don't." Hannah pointed out "Her parents are divorced. Rachel lives with their dad and Malfoy live with their mum."

They still looked confused

"They look nothing alike."

"Neither do me and Hannah." Sirius said

"You do actually." Lily said "You've both got the same shaped face and the same eyes."

"But my eyes are brown." Sirius said

"But Hannah wears coloured contacts instead of glasses!" Remus stated

------

"What was that?" James asked, as they walked out of the room

"Nothing!" Rachel snapped slightly

James looked at her skeptically

"If it's nothing then I'm the tooth fairy."

Rachel laughed slightly

"If you must know he's my brother."

James looked at her

"But how?" he stuttered

"Well, twins. I HATE him!" She muttered "And now I've got to keep his secret."

"And I'm not even going to ask what it is." James said

"Good!"

"I'm still trying to work out how you two are related, you're so different."

"So are Hannah and Sirius, yet they're related." Rachel pointed out "We best get to Charms anyway."

Yeah, you're right."

They walked to Charms slowly and walked into the class with about 15 minutes after the others.

"Glad you could join us." Flitwick squeaked "Could you please take your seats?"

They sat down at the back, behind Sirius, Lily and Clare.

"What happened?" Sirius whispered, whilst they were getting their quills out.

James and Rachel shook their heads

"Are you taking down these notes Mr Black?" Flitwick asked

"Yes Professor!"

"Well stop with the chit-chat and get working."

They had a surprised look in their face - Flitwick was never usually like this, he never lost his temper like that or even shouted at them.

They spent the rest of the lesson copying down notes on a sharm they would be working on the next lesson. The bell rang early as they only had half a lesson - They got some half lessons that they could just relax. James, Sirius and Hannah had Quidditch practice. James was the Captain, and Seeker. Sirius was a beater and Hannah was a Chaser.

"When's our first match?" Sirius asked James as they went to get their brooms.

"Thursday."

"That's in three days!" Hannah exclaimed "And you didn't think to tell us before?!"

"Hey!" James retorted "I only found out yesterday!"

Hannah rolled her eyes.

"Are the others meeting us down there?" Sirius asked

James nodded

"Remus, Lily and Carolyn are gonna come watch as well."

"No Rachel?"

James shook his head.

"She's on the Bloody Ravenclaw team!"

"Oh yeah!"

They grabbed their brooms and ran to pitch.


	14. Quidditch Practice

"Listen guys!" James said when they reached the pitch "We've got a match on Thursday!"

There was uproar between the players

"What!?"

"Why are you only telling us now?"

"Bet they knew!"

"Guys calm down!" Sirius yelled "A. We didn't know. And James only got told yesterday!"

They sighed

"Who's it against?"

"Slytherin."

There was more muttering

"This year is our year!" James said, "We shouldn't have lost last year!"

"Too right we shouldn't have." One person commented "If She - " Pointing at Hannah "Had have kept her mouth shut then we wouldn't have lost two of our players!"

"Oh My God!" Hannah sneered "It's not my fault that Drake can't keep his fists to himself, if he hadn't of punched Malfoy then I wouldn't have had to intervene! Just because I'm the only girl on the team doesn't mean you have to blame everything on me."

"And we all know WHY you're on the team." Someone retorted

There was a mass argument amongst the players until James yelled

"WILL EVERYONE SHUT UP!"

"Are we gonna practice or what?" Sirius asked

"Suppose." Someone muttered

They mounted their brooms and threw the Quaffle to each other for about 5 minutes.

"You want me to let the Snitch out James?" A voice shouted up

"No." James replied "Not today!"

The bell rang to signal Lunch.

"I got to go." Hannah said

"Alright!"

"I'll be back in about 10."

She flew down and she and Lily went to Lunch.

"What was all that arguing about before?" Lily asked

"Nothing." Hannah answered "Just Bell thinking he can get one over on me."

The two of them had a quick lunch and made their way back to the Pitch.

"Listen Lil." Hannah said "Do you mind if I nab Sirius for five minutes after practice?"

She shook her head

"Why?"

"I just want to ask him something."

"Oooo." Lily teased "What?"

"Nothing!" Hannah grinned "And anyway, you'll find out."

Lily raised her eyebrows and asked

"This wouldn't have anything to do with you and a certain wedding would it?"

Hannah smiled

"Might have."

"I still say that you're too young to marry him." Lily stated

"I know Lil, you've said." Hannah muttered "And anyway I'm seventeen!"

"Exactly, you're not even eighteen yet."

"So what!" Hannah snapped, "I love him, and he loves me."

"How do you know he's the One?"

"I've known him for 7 years, and I've gone out with him for four." Hannah pointed out "I just know."

Lily raised her eyebrows

"Can I ask you something?" Hannah said, "How does Sirius make you feel?"

"I can't describe it." Lily said as they walked up to the stands "I mean when I'm with him I feel safe, like nothing's going bad is going to happen."

"He makes go weak at the knees with just one kiss." Hannah added "And time seems to stand still when you're with him."

"How do you know that?"

"Cause that's how Remus makes me feel when I'm with him."

"Did I hear my name being mentioned?" Remus asked as they walked past.

"Yeah." Lily said

"Nothing bad I hope."

"Now why would I do that?" Hannah asked and kissed him on the cheek. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately.

"Oh get a room!" Carolyn remarked.

They broke apart and Hannah said

"I need to get back to practice."

She brought a finger to her lips and then brought it to his and then ran down to the pitch. Remus looked at Lily and asked

"Exactly what were you talking about?"

Lily rolled her eyes

"Just telling me how much she loves you."

Remus grinned

"What I want to know is how come she says you've been going out since 3rd year but you've only been dating since 4th."

Remus let out a hollow laugh

"That's all you know!"

They heard someone yell

"WATCH OUT!" and a bludger came hurtling past.

"Sorry!" They heard Sirius shout

"It's alright!" Lily responded

Lily and Carolyn started laughing

"They take Quidditch too seriously!" Carolyn said

Lily nodded in agreement.

"They need a time-out."

"Sometimes I wish that they could just cancel Quidditch for one day!"

Remus snorted

"You wouldn't!"

"Why not?"

"Sirius, James and Hannah is why not!" Remus answered, "You remember when the match was cancelled last year don't you?"

They murmured a reply

"Do you really want a repeat of that?"

They shook their heads vigorously.

"Thought not!"

- - - -

"We need to beat them." James shouted as they flew down "I don't think I can suffer any more embarrassment!"

"Don't worry James." Drake said, "We'll do our best to win!"

"Tomorrow!" James told the team "We'll have another practice."

"What?" They groaned, "You can't!"

"I've got detention all of my free time!" Someone added

"Tomorrow!" James repeated "No excuses!"

The team left, leaving James, Hannah and Sirius

"That was harsh James!" Sirius commented

James sighed

"We need to win this match Padfoot!"

"I'm not denying that we do." Sirius continued "But we don't have a practice tomorrow, not until Wednesday."

"We need as much as possible!" James said defensively "Anyway, I'm going to find Rachel." And he left.

"Sirius." Hannah said, "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" He asked, absentmindedly. He kept looking over to Lily.

"You know how I don't speak to Dad?"

He nodded

"When I get married." She continued "Can you give me away?"


	15. Questions

Sirius – whose mind had been elsewhere, came crashing back to reality and stared at her. He didn't know what to say.

"W-what?" He stuttered

"I want you to give me away." She whispered again

"I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll do it."

"Of course I will." Sirius said, he was smiling.

"Someone wants you." Hannah said, looking over at the edge of the pitch

"I best go then." Sirius laughed, seeing Lily. "Coming?"

Hannah nodded.

They walked over to where Lily was standing.

"What you two grinning about?" She asked

"Nothing!" They answered

Lily rolled her eyes.

"I know what it was about!" She stated, "You might as well just tell me!"

They shook their heads.

"Oh by the way." Lily added "Remus said he'll meet you in the Common Room."

"Okay!" Hannah said and walked into the castle.

"So how was Quidditch?" Lily asked

"It was alright." Sirius answered, "I wasn't aiming at you before, you know."

"You best not have been!" Lily teased

Sirius stuck his tongue out at her. He put his arms around her waist.

"Listen, do you fancy dinner at Hogsmeade tonight?" He asked

Lily looked at him

"Sure." She smiled

"Meet you at seven?"

"Okay." Lily replied "Seven it is!"

He gazed longingly into her eyes and he kissed her softly on the lips.

"I love you." he whispered

"I love you too."

"I'm gonna go and have something to eat." He said and his stomach rumbled

Lily laughed and pushed him in the direction of the Great Hall but Sirius grabbed her hand and pulled her with him.

"Come and keep me company." Sirius commanded tenderly. Lily smiled and followed.

"Why do I need to keep you company anyway?" Lily asked, smiling "You've got James to talk to."

"But you're much better company." He grinned

He kissed her hand and they went and sat down.

"I need to eat anyway." Lily said, laughing slightly

"Why?" Sirius asked, "You ate before."

"Yeah, like one half of a sandwich."

Sirius snorted.

"Well that's what you get for having a _quick_ lunch with my sister."

"Remind me never to have a quick lunch with her again." She added

"Shame we only have a few days left to practice though." Sirius sighed, picking up something to eat.

"Why?" Lily asked

"We've got a match on Thursday!"

"Who against?"

"Slytherin!" Sirius pulled a face "And I really want to get one over on Malfoy!"

"Doesn't everyone on the Gryffindor team?" Lily asked

"Me especially, he's the reason Hannah and Drake couldn't play last year."

"What happened?" Lily asked, confused

"Oh come on Lil." Sirius muttered, "You didn't hear?"

Lily shook her head

"Not that I can remember."

Sirius sighed

"Malfoy was going on about Drake's Mum and Dad because they'd just split up and he had heard about the split." Sirius explained

"Jeez!" Lily whistled

"You're telling me," Sirius paused. "Mind Hannah has got a big gob and doesn't know when to keep it shut."

Lily giggled and pulled Sirius into a kiss.

"What was that for?" Sirius asked, when Lily ended the kiss

"For being you."

Sirius put him arm around her and hugged her.

"You're the best girl a guy could ask for." He breathed.


	16. Somethings are not meant to be seen!

After they had had something to eat, they headed for the Common Room. Sirius took hold of Lily's hand and grinned.

"So what where you and Hannah talking about before?" Lily asked

"I told you, nothing." Sirius said

Lily looked at him

"Sirius." She said "I know what she was asking you about, well what it was to do with anyway."

"I'm not saying." He said, finally "You'll find out anyway."

Lily rolled her eyes and said the password for the portrait. They went to the boy's dorm, when they walked in they saw Hannah and Remus in an intimate clinch. Sirius covered his eyes, seeing his sister topless was something he didn't exactly want to see. Lily pulled the curtain across

"Eww!" Sirius cringed

Lily couldn't help but laugh.

"That was not a laughing matter!" Sirius grimaced

"I know." Lily said, trying to be sympathetic which hard as she was trying to keep a straight face.

"How would you like it if you had a brother and you saw him naked?"

"I do have a brother!" Lily retorted "Just not one I've seen for 5 years!" and she pulled a face at the thought.

"Anyway." Lily added "Forget about that and come here."

She kissed him passionately and whispered something to him.

"Lily, are you ready for this?" Asked Sirius.

"More than ready." She grinned.

Sirius pulled her down into another kiss.

Then James came bursting into the dorm with Rachel in tow and he yelled,

"And this is the seventh year boys' dorm."

They heard Hannah shriek and fall off the bed and then Lily and Sirius started to laugh. It was a priceless picture. Rachel had a hand firmly clapped over James eyes and had her eyes screwed shut.

"James you know when Hannah is dressed?" Asked Rachel.

"Yeah," He replied hesitantly.

"You're getting your ass kicked." She replied

James gulped.

"Get outta here!" Hannah yelled, pulled her T-Shirt over her head.

"Why?" James and Sirius asked, "It's our dorm!"

Hannah glared at them.

"Out!"

They left reluctantly, mumbling.

"I was enjoying that." Hannah said

"Were you now?"  
Hannah grinned, and kissed him  
"You know, I like this side of you." Remus said  
"What side?"  
"Feisty!"  
Hannah giggled

-----

"I swear I'm going to kill you James!" Rachel muttered  
James looked at her guiltily  
"And you shouldn't have looked!" She continued furiously "I saw the look on  
your face!"  
James tried to avoid her eyes.  
"You love me really."  
"Sure about that?" Rachel asked, challengingly

"Yeah." He said Grinning.  
"Oh? And what do you propose?" Rachel asked quirking an eyebrow.   
"For you to go 24 hours without kissing or talking to me." James challenged Rachel just laughed.  
"I think you're the one who can't do that! 24 hours?" Rachel asked. James frowned. "Try a week."  
"You're on, you'll fall before me." James promised.  
"Not likely." Rachel said walking away.

------

Lily was still laughing at the look on Sirius' face. It had been priceless.  
"It really, really wasn't funny!"

"So you've said." Lily grinned, "Now where were we?"

"I remember." Sirius answered and pulled her towards him and kissed her.


	17. You are who you are

Seven o' clock came and Lily was getting ready in the girls dormitory.

"I don't know what to wear!" She cried

"What about me?" Hannah asked, "I'm going out with Remus!"

Lily looked at her

"Where?"

"Hogsmeade." She answered "Why?"

"Double date is why." Lily remarked

Hannah looked at her confused.

"Sirius is taking me to Hogsmeade." Lily explained "And Remus is taking you there, it doesn't take a genius to work out what they've planned."

"Hate to mock your earlier words but, you do realize you have just called yourself an idiot don't you?" said Hannah

Lily stuck her tongue out at her.

"What are you doing with your hair?" Lily asked

"This!" Hannah answered and ran her wand across a part in her hair, which from there downwards fell to the floor. It was now just shorter than shoulder length and she added a little colour to it – Scarlet!

"Bit drastic isn't it Han?"

"Nah!" Hannah answered

Lily scoffed

"What's Remus going to say?"

Hannah shrugged.

"You don't really care do you?"

"No!"

"It goes with your top actually." Lily stated, "You really should wear a dress though instead of jeans."

Hannah gritted her teeth and muttered

"The only time you will _ever_ see me wearing a dress will be on my wedding day."

"What about the balls?" Lily asked, "This year is out first ever chance to go."

"No!"

"Oh why are you like that Hannah? You'd look drop dead gorgeous in a dress." Lily stated.

"Why lie?" Asked Hannah.

"Oh my God! Ask anybody! Ask Rachel, Remus, Sirius or Natalie!" Said Lily

"What about Carolyn and Clare?" Hannah asked "Not that'd trust Clare since she's into pink! And I wouldn't trust Carolyn either come to that."

"Well besides Clare and Carolyn then, ask any of them."

"Technically, Remus doesn't count." Hannah said, "Since he tells me everyday that I'm gorgeous."

Lily rolled her eyes and looked at her watch.

"Come on, we're gonna be late if we don't hurry up." She said hurriedly "And put on some make-up."

"Hell no!" She retorted, "I'm not a girly girl like you and Clare – I draw the line at make-up and dresses."

She and Lily walked out and into the Common Room and saw Sirius and Remus sitting by the fire.

"I said seven!" Sirius said, "It's quarter past!"

"It's called being fashionably late." Lily pointed out. "Oh and can you tell Hannah something?"

"What?"

"She doesn't believe me when I said that she would look drop dead gorgeous in a dress." Lily said

"And she didn't hurt you?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"No, why?"

"Because I suggested that once and she broke my nose."

They laughed slightly.

"And we're going now." Sirius added quickly "Or we are going to be late."

Sirius turned and saw Hannah, mouth wide open as if he had only just seen her.

"What the hell have you done to your hair?"

"Something." She whispered "Do you like it?"

Sirius raised his eyebrows

"I'll get back to you on that."

"I love it." Remus whispered to her

"Good!" Hannah responded, smiling "'Cause I'm not changing it."

"You do realise that we have to go?" Sirius said

"Alright, alright keep your hair on." Hannah said, pulling a face "And speaking of hair, you do realise that yours is longer than mine!"

Sirius didn't answer to that, he took hold of Lily's hand and they walked out the Common Room.

"She's got a point there Sirius." Lily said, when they walked towards the passage to Hogsmeade.

"I like my hair like this." Sirius pouted.

"I'm not sayin' I don't, I just wanted to inform you, Hannah isn't taking the mickey." Lily said. Sirius raised her hand to his lips and kissed it and gave her a bad boy grin that nearly had her swooning.

They heard Hannah and Remus running up behind them.

"What took you so long?" Sirius asked

They shrugged. The four of them made their way through the passage. They soon came to a smallish building, which had candles in the windows.


	18. Date to remember

"Wow!" Lily and Hannah breathed

"You like?" Sirius and Remus asked

"Hell yeah." They answered, "Where are we?"

"You'll see."

They walked in and the girls gasped.

"Oh my God!"

In the background they had Reflection playing

_Look at me _

_You may think you see who I really am_

_But you'll never know me_

_Ev'ry day_

_It's as if I play a part_

"Are we going to sit down or what?" Remus asked

Sirius and Remus pulled out two chairs and Hannah and Lily sat down.

"How long have you been planning this?" Hannah asked out of curiosity

"A while." Sirius answered

_Now I see_

_If I wear a mask_

_I can fool the world_

_But I cannot fool my heart_

Sirius handed Lily a dozen red roses

"Oh Sirius." She whispered, and kissed him on the cheek. "They're beautiful!"

"Like you then." He grinned

She nodded

"One of my favourite songs." She whispered, "How did you get it?"

"Clare!"

"She knew about this?" Hannah and Lily asked "No wonder she was acting weird before."

_Who is that girl I see_

_Staring straight back at me?_

_When will my reflection show_

_Who I am inside? _

"Will you dance with me?" Sirius asked Lily

"Sure."

They got up and danced slowly. Lily leant her head on his shoulder and Sirius starting whispering things in her ear.

"You want to dance?" Remus asked Hannah

"I thought you'd never ask." Hannah giggled

Remus led Hannah to dance and they were now dancing similarly to Sirius and Lily.

-

"Where is everyone?" Carolyn asked Clare

"Dates!" Clare answered, "Speaking of which, I have to go and see Paul, he says he wants to _talk!_"

Carolyn let out a small sigh

"Things that bad?"

Clare nodded

"I've hardly seen him, yesterday he said I put my friends before him!"

"Self conceited idiot." Carolyn muttered "Why risk your friends over a guy?"

Clare shrugged and answered

"You wouldn't!"

"Exactly!" Carolyn said, "Good luck anyway."

"Thanks."

Clare left the Common Room and headed for the Great Hall where Paul said he would meet her. She waited for a few minutes before he turned up.

"So what do you want then?" Clare asked

"We need to talk." Paul started

"Too right we do!" Clare retorted "After yesterday when you said I put my friends first!"

"But you do!" Paul said defensively, "I hardly ever see you anymore!"

Clare felt like hitting him.

"And when I do want to see you you're always hanging round with Snilvelly!" She fumed. "You know what Paul, you're not even worth me wasting my breath over, it's over!"

She stormed off, tears in her eyes. She felt pain like she had never felt, the pain of losing someone you love.

'_Why is love so cruel?' _She thought

-

James was sitting in the boy's dormitory, alone. Rachel wasn't talking to him and Remus and Sirius had gone to Hogsmeade. He didn't even know where Peter was, which was strange since he usually followed the three of them around like a lovesick puppy. Personally he enjoyed the peace but the downside was he had to live without Rachel for a week, whilst watching two of his best friends making out every five minutes.

James hated himself for it but he was jealous of two of his mates and he didn't know why, he had already accepted the fact that Lily would never go out with him and that she was, dare he say it, 'Sirius' girl', he had most of the girls in school after him and if they weren't after him then they were after James, but Sirius knew that he wanted Lily ever since 2nd year. He never would have asked her out if he hadn't become Head Boy and could no longer fight back his feelings for her.

Then you had Remus, who had only ever had one love in his life – Hannah. She had been his best friend before he had even met Sirius, Peter and himself. It wasn't even as if Remus had girls all over him, it was usually Sirius and himself that they went for, Remus was just _'the bookworm' _or '_their friend'_, that's what people referred to him as. James had loved Hannah, and he had loved Lily, part of him still did but they were out of bounds, taken.

-

"I still can't believe you planned all this." Lily said in awe

"Why shouldn't I spoil my girlfriend?" Sirius asked

"And your sister." Lily added

"But that's Remus." Sirius pointed out "I just suggested a double date and agreed to help him plan it."

Lily smiled and Sirius planted a soft, sensual kiss on her lips.

-

"Are you sure that this is what you want?" Remus asked Hannah quietly

"I wouldn't have agreed to marry you if I didn't." Hannah stated

"I still don't get why you chose me over everyone else, you could have had any guy you wanted. Most guys have their tongues out when you, Lily, Clare and Carolyn walk past them." Remus said "And I was just a background guy, someone who no-one really paid any attention to, I'm a bookworm and not even an attractive one at that – "

Hannah put a finger to his lips and whispered.

"Because you understood me, you knew me inside out and, anyway who cares if you're a bookwork, you're my bookwork!"

Remus smiled

"But –"

"Remus?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

He did as he was told and kissed her passionately.


	19. DISCLAIMER

**DISCLAIMER**

_I meant to put this at the beginning but I totally forgot!_

_I do not own any of the characters created my J.K Rowling or any of the songs used._

_I do however own the rights to myself, one of my best friends and any other characters I have created!_


	20. Lovers and Broken Hearts

A night of dancing and a very romantic dinner followed, but whilst Lily and Hannah were enjoying themselves, Clare was left nursing a broken heart and Carolyn was wondering if there was any point to love – two days ago she had been asked out by one of the fittest lads in school yet she had turned him down as she had her eye on someone else, but he wasn't interested in her. She was left alone and looking rather obnoxious.

Carolyn was sitting in the girl's dormitory alone. She was thinking about Cian, the way he looked and his accent just made her want to faint. He had dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes and he had the most gorgeous Irish accent. He was a Hufflepuff 7th year and the only downside to him was that he was more interested in two of her best friends – Clare and Rachel. She began to sing to herself

_I can show you the world_

_Shining, shimmering, splendid_

_Tell me, now when did you last let your heart decide?_

_A whole new world_

_A new fantastic point of view_

_No one to tell us no_

_Or where to go_

_Or say we're only dreaming_

Tears fell down her cheek, she didn't even know why it made her cry, it just did.

-

Peter was sitting in a room near the dungeons in a small, dark corner. He hated hanging around with James, Remus and Sirius lately as they were always with Rachel, Hannah and Lily and they were girls! Girls who didn't even know him or even like him for that matter. If only there was a way to split them up.

-

Rachel was in the Ravenclaw Common Room, thinking about James and the little challenge she had given him and was wondering if there was a point to it. She knew that James would crack first but what she hadn't counted on was her feeling guilty about giving him it and what made it worse was she didn't even know why she was feeling guilty.

-

"We best be getting back." Remus whispered to Hannah

Hannah nodded

"And I'll think we can leave them to it!" She added, jerking her head towards Sirius and Lily, who were dancing.

Hannah took a piece of parchment out of her jeans pocket and a pen and wrote

Gon bk 2 skool 

_H and R_

"I really enjoyed tonight." Hannah said

"I'm glad!" Remus grinned. "And what was with the shorthand?"

Hannah shrugged

"I didn't want to disturb them."

Remus chuckled

-

"Where have Hannah and Remus gone?" Lily asked

"Dunno." Sirius answered, looking over "But there is parchment on the table."

He walked over and read the little note.

"They've gone back."

"Then it's just us then." Lily said tenderly

"I suppose it is." Sirius smiled, and dipped her body. He leant in and kissed her sweetly. He brought her back up again and just stared into her eyes. They seemed to mesmerise him, the way they sparkled and the warmth they had.

"I guess we best catch up." He murmured against her lips

"I guess."

Sirius blew out the candles and switched off the music and linked his arm with Lily's. The walked out of the building, which, in the darkness just looked like an ordinary derelict building. They made their way back through Hogsmeade and through the passage back to Hogwarts. When they were back and were in the Common Room, Sirius put his arms around Lily's waist and rocked her slightly. He caught sight of Remus and Hannah asleep by the fire and said

"They look cute together."

Lily giggled slightly.

"They're one of those couples that you wouldn't associate them being together."

"Mmm." Sirius murmured.

Lily yawned

"I'm going to bed, I'm so tired."

Sirius smiled

"Alright. Night."

He kissed her on the cheek and she headed for the girl's dormitory, Sirius followed suit and went to bed about half and hour later. He couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful she was and how lucky he was to have her.


	21. Friends?

Nothing of much interest happened the next day, apart from James pining for Rachel and yelling at the whole of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, as they weren't concentrating as much as they should have. They just excused it for him being paranoid and wanting to win badly but then again that's what they all wanted – they would do anything to get one over on Slytherin.

-

Hannah, Carolyn and Lily spent most of the day comforting Clare after her break up with Paul.

"Oh come on Claz, it's not as if you're the first person to get their heart broken, everyone has their heart broken at some point!" Lily pointed out

"What about Hannah? She's never had her heart broken, she was never with a guy long enough, well not counting Remus anyway!" Clare retorted, "You two seem to have the most perfect relationships EVER!"

"How the hell have I had perfect relationships!" Lily snapped back "Just because I've had guys that actually know how to treat a girl, Paul was never good enough for you!"

Clare burst into tears and Lily had stormed off in a rage. Hannah and Carolyn had stood there looking astounded. They had both thought everything that Lily had said, especially about Paul.

"Oh, and Clare." Hannah said, "I may not have had my heart broken but I sure as hell have never had a family that loves me!"

Hannah shot her a glare and walked out. And Clare sighed at how stupid she had been.

-

Rachel, on the other hand, was having her own problems with a certain brunette called Amy, she was "Supposed" to be her best mate. Amy was also a Ravenclaw.

"I can't believe you want to redo your hair but for permanent this time!" Amy screamed. "You are so stupid! Don't you care that you'll freak out one of your best mates?"

Oh I care, I care that you're acting like my fucking wannabe mother, thought Rachel spitefully.

"If you two were truly were my best friends, you would have been fine from the word go!" Rachel said. "You know true friends accept people for who they are but not their looks."

"From when I told you I was a Goth! But you overreacted instead of going like a true friend 'whatever makes you happy!' Some friend you are!"

"You calling me and untrue friend?" Amy asked angrily.

"If the shoe fits, and the only friend I see freaking here is you!" Rachel said. She felt hot, scalding tears racing down her cheeks. "I'm outta here!"

"You know James is gonna cheat on you now that you threw that challenge at him, and when you find out I hope that I'm there to laugh in your face!" Amy shot at Rachel's back.

Reading in between the lines, she knew exactly what she meant!

-

_**(After Quidditch)**_

"I still can't believe that you agreed to not talk to Rachel for a week!" Sirius stated, "More fool you!"

"She challenged me and you know what I'm like when someone challenges me!" James said defensively "I can't say no to a challenge!"

Sirius laughed

"I heard that Rachel isn't talking to Amy either."

"She's not!" James replied, "Something about her not being a true friend, this has been going on for weeks!"

"What is it with girls and dare I say it "Bitching?""

James shrugged.

"Girls being bitchy is what keeps lads on their toes, makes it more fun for us." Commented Hannah

Both Sirius and James jumped, as they hadn't heard Hannah come in the dorm.

"What you doing here?" Sirius asked

"Looking for Remus." Hannah said, "What do you think I was doing here?"

Sirius shrugged

"How was I meant to know, that's why I asked you!"

"Where is he?"

Sirius thought for a moment and then answered

"Haven't a clue."

"Can I have the Marauders map?"

"You're not having it!" James said

"I wasn't asking you to give it to me, I was telling you to give it to me!" Hannah smiled "Oh and can you go and find Lily 'cause she went off just then and not in a very good mood!"

James reluctantly handed over the Marauders Map to Hannah, she quickly found Remus and Lily – they were together.

Sirius and Hannah went to find them – even though they knew where they were. They found them sitting by the lake. Lily was crying, wishing that she hadn't said anything to Clare and Remus was comforting her.

"Lil?" Sirius asked cautiously

Lily lifted her head up and ran to Sirius. He wrapped his arms around her and she sobbed on his shoulder. Sirius stroked her hair and cradled her.

"I don't even know why I'm crying," She said, lifting her head up slightly.

"What happened?"

"Don't want to talk about it, it's nothing."

"Alright."

Sirius wiped away her tears with the sleeve of his robes.

"We've got to go to Transfiguration." Hannah said looking at her watch."

"But I thought we had a free lesson now."

"No, timetable's changed _again_." Hannah said, not looking very happy about it "Although we now have it with Ravenclaw, I think there were a lot of complaints about Gryffindor and Slytherin being mixed."

"That won't please James!" Sirius and Remus said

"Why not?"

"He's not talking to Rachel!" Sirius explained "Something about her challenging him – she says that he wouldn't be able to last a week without talking to him."

"But he probably couldn't" Lily said

"Exactly!"

The four of them started laughing as they walked to Transfiguration. They found Clare, Carolyn, James and Peter waiting there already. Someone ran past them and pushed past James – It was Rachel. She ran into class and sat down in the corner at the back.

"What the hell ?" James muttered

"I'll go talk to her." Hannah said "Since you can't."

She walked over to her friend and asked

"What's Amy said now?"

"She said that since I challenged James he's gonna cheat on me!"

"But James wouldn't." Hannah said "Trust me on that, I may hate James but I know that he wouldn't do that!"

"I do trust you, that's what friends do – they trust each other!"


	22. Transfiguration and the thought of ever ...

Hannah was just about to say something to her but McGonagoll walked in and she quickly sat down, giving Amy a huge glare as she walked past.

"Now class!" McGonagoll started "There has been a few timetable changes but this does not mean that you can use it as an excuse to be late for lessons!"

The class groaned.

"Furthermore I know that you have probably heard this already but there will be NO slacking in my classes _whatsoever_!" She continued "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Professor!"

"Now today we are reviewing a very simple charm – one that we covered first year. We will be transfiguring animals into water goblets."

The class groaned

"But we've done this!"

"Can't we do something else?"

"SILENCE!" McGonagoll yelled, "Get out your wands or we will be writing for the whole lesson!"

There were many unhappy students in that class; no one could remember how to do the spell. What made matters worse was that most of the class's attempts were unsuccessful. James' goblet still had feathers. Sirius' still had a tail (not to mention a few other things). Lily's and Hannah's were fully transfigured but they had a lot of cracks and chips in various places. They looked at Remus, Peter, Clare and Carolyn whose had been done correctly and successfully and they muttered to themselves.

"Why am I such a failure?" Hannah asked

"Hannah, if you are then I am." Lily stated

"You are not a failure Han." Remus said

Then why do I feel like one then?"

Remus leant across the table and kissed her on the lips.

"He hem!" McGonagoll coughed as she walked past them and they pulled away very quickly, looking rather embarrassed.

Lily laughed at the expressions on their faces.

"You'd think that she'd never been in love!" She laughed

"She probably hasn't." Sirius said, from behind.

Everyone burst into a fit of silent laughter, unfortunately for them, James' and Sirius' laughter because louder and louder.

"You." Looking very sternly at Hannah, Lily, Remus, Sirius and James "Will see me for detention tonight!"

When she walked away, they started laughing again, they couldn't help it – it was the thought of McGonagoll being in love was too much to bear.

"Make that a weeks worth!" She snapped, looking behind.

They had surprised looks on their faces.

"Which means I'll have detention on my own." Remus muttered "Well apart from tonight!"

"Is it that time already?" James whispered

He nodded

"Damn!"

"Just get McGonagoll to move our detention." Hannah suggested

"Oh yeah, like that's gonna work." Lily said

"I need to speak to her!" James exclaimed, looking over at Rachel "I mean, she looks so lost and depressed."

They rolled their eyes - that was just like James, but, when they looked at her, they noticed he was right. Hannah noticed something, there was a tear slipping down Rachel's cheek causing a black line to form on her cheek, and there was a piece of paper crushed in her fist.

Hannah sighed and said to James

"I think you should know something."

"What?"

You know Amy?" Hannah started "Well she told Rachel something along the lines of your little challenge is gonna make you cheat on her."

James' mouth hung open in shock

"But I wouldn't!" He choked

"That's what I said." Hannah added "And I'm sure she knows something more."

The bell rang for the end of the lesson and Hannah went over to Rachel to see what was wrong.

"What's going on?" She asked

Rachel shook her head

"Give me the paper!" She said

Rachel sighed and handed over the paper.

**"U ruin us 3! Ur an attention seeker! Ur a liar and I can't stand u! I'm surprised people like you, ur such a horrible person!"**

"Amy?"

Rachel nodded

"I really don't know why you let her and Bonni get you!" She continued, "You don't need friends like them."

Rachel smiled slightly

"I think James is worried about you though, he says you look depressed and lonely and lost."

"And you agree with him?"

"Yeah." Hannah answered "I mean, you're letting all this get to you and I know you know more about all his James cheating on you thing."

Rachel didn't say anything at first but finally said.

"I think Amy's going to kiss James, just to spite me!"

Hannah gasped in shock and Lily who had also heard did too.

"Rachel you need to tell James!" Lily said.

"Why bother?" Rachel asked, Hannah and Lily looked confused. "Every lad I end up with always ends up falling for her and I know that she seduces them.

"Rach, trust me on this, James wouldn't cheat on you. Especially with one of your "best friends" – he's not like that. He's probably one of the only decent guys in our year." Hannah said, looking rather amazed at what she had just said, "Did I just say what I thought I said?"

"Saying James is one of the only decent guys in our year?" Lily asked "If so, then yeah."

Hannah shook her head

"Nevertheless though, it is true." Lily said

"To a certain extent!" Hannah smiled

The three of them laughed

"Best go anyway." Rachel said

"See ya later."

While Rachel headed off towards the Ravenclaw Common Room, Lily and Hannah headed for the Gryffindor Common Room.

"What took you too so long?" Sirius asked

"Try we had to take care of something!" Lily answered

"I still can't believe McGonagoll gave us detention!" James muttered "For a whole week!"

"Yeah, wouldn't mind but you three didn't get one!" Hannah and Lily said, looking at Peter, Clare and Carolyn

"Yeah, well we all know why I didn't!" Clare retorted, still mad about the fact that her mum was a teacher "Why did she have to come here? Especially this year – she could have come next year!"

There was a hint of malice in her voice.

"And there's us thinking that you loved your mum!" The girls joked

Clare stuck her tongue out at them.

"Time is it?" Sirius asked, feeling extremely bored.

"Six." Lily said

"Why has this day gone by so slowly?" The boys complained

"Dunno!"

"This will cheer you up though." Hannah said, taking a piece of paper out of her pocket "Malfoy's injured, he can't play on Thursday!"

"What!" James and Sirius said, gobsmaked "How do you know that?"

"Rachel!" Hannah said, "She.. erm…kinda broke his leg!"

"What?"

"Seriously?"

"She says that she would have told you but she's not talking to you!"

"Give me the note!" James said

_Can't play. Serves him right. Shouldn't try 2 bribe me. Out 4 a week at least. Broken leg! He he! No one else!_

"YES!" they cheered

"That gives us a chance since they have no reserve seeker!" Sirius added "And they can hardly train anyone within the space of two days!"


	23. Telling it how it is

Time came for Lily, Sirius, James, Hannah and Remus to go for their detention and they weren't very happy. When they got there, McGonagoll had an extremely stern look on her face and didn't look pleased.

"Well you know why you are here." She said, glaringly "I do not take kindly to students laughing in my lessons!"

"We're sorry Professor." Lily muttered

"Never have I seen a Head Boy and a Head Girl behave like that!" McGonagoll continued "And what may I ask were you laughing at?"

They looked at each other – none of them wanted to say to her face what they were laughing about, until Hannah had an idea.

"They were laughing at my hair Professor." She said, nervously "The colour."

McGonagoll looked at her suspiciously, as if she didn't believe her

"Well it is rather a stupid colour." She stated, strictly "I insist that you remove the colour at once!"

"Why?" Hannah asked, pulling a face "I like it!"

"That was NOT a request!"

Hannah muttered something under her breath

"You can't make me!" She retorted, "Just because you're a teacher doesn't mean you can tell me what to do – you may be able to tell me when I'm right and when I'm not, or if I have to redo my homework. But you _cannot_ tell me how I should look or what colour my hair should be!"

Everyone looked at her disbelievingly – Hannah was usually a person who let people walk all over her – usually. But so far this year she seemed to be showing her true colours and standing up for herself.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me!" Hannah said, and walked out

"Whoa!" The boys and Lily muttered to themselves, looking at the doorway where Hannah had just stormed out..

"The lot of you – GO!" McGonagoll snapped "And don't think I won't be telling Professor Dumbledore about this!"

They each let out a sigh of relief.

"But I will see you _all _tomorrow night!"

They groaned slightly – they hated having detention with McGonagoll. She was probably the worst teacher to have it with. Add the fact that she was Head of Gryffindor and Deputy Headmistress – it was torture!

They walked out of the classroom and headed for the Common Room until Sirius said

"I'm gonna go look for Hannah."

"You want me to go?" Remus asked

"No, this is something I need to do."

He looked at the Marauders map and saw that she was in the Room of Requirements. When he got there, he opened the door cautiously.

"Hannah?"

"What do you want Sirius?"

"I wanna know what was with that little speech just then." He answered, chuckling slightly.

"What?" Hannah asked, "I was stating the truth!"

"I know that, but that wasn't the girl I knew and grew up with!"

"I've changed, Sirius." She said, "I'm sick of people walking all over me - I refuse to turn into Dad!"

"How did I know he would have something to do with this?" Sirius muttered, shaking his head.

"He lets your mum walk all over him!" Hannah retorted, "It's because of her that I wasn't allowed to know him!"

"Why would you want to?"

"Because he's my Dad!" Hannah replied, "You had the chance to get close to him – I didn't. You had a family and I never got a chance to know mine or know what one was like! Just count yourself lucky that your mum wasn't a Prostitute!"

"What?" Sirius looked at her "What are you going on about?"

"Didn't you ever wonder how an illegal Russian immigrant made a living? Dad told me, after you left, he gave me the only photo I've got of her – it made me sick. He told me everything, including the fact that he loved me, but he couldn't get close because of your mum. I don't want anything to do with him or my mum for that matter."

Sirius looked at her, shocked

"Who else knows about that?"

"Rachel, Remus and now you." Hannah answered

"You told them, but not me?"

"Oh My God, Sirius, I told Remus 'cause he's my fiancé and I don't keep secrets from him, and I told Rachel because she's my best friend and I tell her everything."

"You used to tell me everything." Sirius said, "What changed?"

"What changed?" Hannah asked, "You left! That night, you didn't just run away from them – you ran away from me, I had no-one, the people in that house were strangers to me, still are, and it was almost like you didn't care!"

There were tears in her eyes now; she hated even thinking about it all, let alone talking about it. Sirius put his arms around her and held her close. He couldn't help thinking that all of this was his fault.

"I'm sorry." He whispered "I shouldn't have ran away and left you alone, but I had to, you know I did. Do you think it was easy for me just leaving you there like that? But I couldn't stay there anymore!"

"I know." She said, smiling slightly "I just felt like everything I've ever loved just seems to disappear before my eyes!"

"What about your friends? And what about Remus."

"I don't know." She muttered, "I mean, Remus is the one good thing in my life, everything else is just messed up! But then again, that's my life all over!"

"Hannah, your life is not messed up!"

"Sure it's not!" She coughed "I don't want to talk about this anymore!"

She wiped her eyes and her face was smudged with black.

"What happened to not wearing make-up?" Sirius teased

"By not wearing make-up, I mean not bright, I will wear black." Hannah retorted, "I can't help being a Goth! It's who I am."

"I didn't say that there was anything wrong with it – Carolyn and Rachel are!" Sirius said

"And exactly how many times a day do you call Carolyn weird?" Hannah asked "Or Rachel. Or me for that matter!

"You're my sister, I can't help but to tease you, it's a fact of life!""

Hannah glared at him and punched him playfully.

"I am so tired." He said, yawning "And I have no clue why!"

"I do." Hannah said, "Today has got to have been one of the worst so far add on top at least two hours of Quidditch Practice – it's been torture!"

They went back to the Common Room and found only James sitting there and he was doing homework.

"Where's everyone else?"

"In bed." James answered

"I'm going to bed as well." Hannah said "Might as well!"

"Night then."

When she left James and Sirius sat talking for a while. Mostly about Quidditch but then James asked about what had just gone on and Sirius giving him the cliff notes version – leaving out personal details. They stayed up talking for a few hours and then they followed everyone else and went to bed.

"Friends don't keep secrets from each other."

¡


	24. Quidditch

Two days later 

The Gryffindor team made their way down to the pitch, all dressed in their Quidditch robes and holding their brooms. James kept muttering to himself over and over about how they were going to win. Sirius looked like he was staring into space, as did the rest of the team. Hannah seemed to be praying for it all to end, this including the next few days.

"Right team!" James said, as they prepared to fly out "This is our year and I don't want us to think that the Slytherins are an easy game because they're not!"

"Oh come on James." One person muttered, "They're without their star player, if that isn't fate then I don't know what it is."

A few other members of the team agreed

"They will _not _be a pushover!" James continued, "We will go out there and we _will_ win!"

"James." Sirius said "We're gonna win. Now calm down!"

James breathed heavily

"This is our last chance for most of us." James responded "My last chance!"

"We get the point, now quit stressing."

The doors to the pitch opened and they could hear the crowd cheering.

"Let's hear it for the Gryffindor team, which is Drake Fry playing Keeper. Oliver Bell, Seth Johnson and Hannah Caldwell as Chasers. Sirius Black and Romeo McLaughlin are the Beaters and James Potter as Captain and Seeker."

There was a loud cheer with a mixed amount of boos from the Slytherins

"The Slytherin team consists of, Craig Owens as Keeper. Paul McGuire, Aaron Devine and Douglas Smith as Chasers. Harley Davis and Gregory Addison as Beaters and as reserve Captain and Seeker, Jarvis Lee.

There were cheers from the Slytherins and more boos from the Gryffindors.

"And I am your commentator for today, Carolyn Sharpe."

Seth Johnson starts with the Quaffle, throws it long to Oliver Bell, back to Johnson, throws it to Hannah Caldwell and she scores! Gryffindor lead 10 – 0

Hannah gave Seth a high five

Slytherin in possession. Smith to Devine. What's this? Harley Davis has just aimed and hit the bludger at Oliver Bell's head. That had to hurt! 

Madam Hooch cautioned Davis and James called a time out.

"Are you alright?" James asked concerned

"Yeah." Oliver answered, "Just hurts a bit."

"Right, we're ten points ahead, we need to make it at least 150 just in case they catch the Snitch." James continued, "Which they're not going to."

"We going back out there then?" Sirius asked

James looked at Oliver, who nodded.

Slytherin's Aaron Devine in possession. Intercepted by Seth Johnson, passes to Caldwell, who in turn throws to Oliver Bell and it's just saved by Keeper Craig Owens.

James however had noticed that the Snitch was flying close to Sirius' head and flew straight for it.

Caldwell has the Quaffle; she passes it to Johnson and he scores! Gryffindor lead 20 – 0! And James Potter has seen the Snitch, so early on in the match. Jarvis Lee chases after him but with a broom like Potter's he'll never catch him. He..he..he's caught it! Gryffindor win!

There were a lot of cheers from the Gryffindor crowd and the whole team flew down. James was ecstatic; he couldn't believe that they had just beaten Slytherin.

"Well done!" Drake and Oliver congratulated James

"Well played." Someone said, walking past

"It was the shortest game we've ever played and we played a good game?" Sirius asked

"I think I'm going to the Hospital wing." Oliver said, "My head is killing me!"

"Good idea."

"Shame I didn't get to hurt anyone." Sirius said, "I was really looking forward to knocking a Slytherin out!"

Lily ran up to Sirius and put her arms around his shoulders

"Congratulations!" She said and kissed him

He whirled her around and wrapped his arms around her.

James and Hannah were alone. James was still pining after Rachel, he wanted to talk to her so badly but he couldn't at risk of breaking his promise that we wouldn't. He kept thinking about what Hannah had said to him about what Amy had said to Rachel – that he would cheat on her, something that he would never do.

Hannah was missing Remus and at this precise moment everything was reminding her of him – Her Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson had been about werewolves (as a recap), he hadn't been there at Quidditch like he usually was and then seeing Lily and Sirius made her want to break down and cry.

James went off to wander around the castle; he wasn't in the mood for celebration. As he walked, he heard footsteps behind him but Everytime he looked around; there was no one there. Next he heard someone breathing and he turned around and saw Amy standing there.

"Hi." She said sweetly but in a very seductive tone.

"Yeah, what do you want?" James asked impatiently

"Just one thing." She whispered and kissed him

What James didn't know was that Rachel was standing there right behind him. She covered her mouth to stop her from screaming.


	25. Secrets, lies and lost friendships

Rachel felt as if someone had just taken a knife to her heart. She now knew what Amy had meant by those words, but effectively James _hadn't _cheated on her – it was Amy that had kissed _him_! She lunged at Amy screaming

"YOU LITTLE BITCH! YOU JUST COULD LEAVE WELL ALONE COULD YOU! YOU CAN'T STAND IT WHEN I'VE GOT A BOYFRIEND AND YOU HAVEN'T! TRY AND SEDUCE THEM AND THEN MAKE ME THINK IT WAS THEM ALL ALONG!"

Amy didn't say anything

"I WISH I'D NEVER MET YOU!"

She turned to James, who took hold of her and whispered

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." She said

"How do you know?" Amy asked, snarling

"Because I heard and saw everything, that's how!" She retorted, she pointed her wand at her face "I will use it, especially if you don't get out of my life!"

Amy stormed off, muttering something to herself. Rachel had tears in her eyes – seeing the guy she loved kissing another girl was one thing but when it was one of her _supposed_ best friends, it- just didn't bear thinking about. James held her close.

* * *

Sirius was whispering things to Lily that made her giggle. Hannah, Clare and Carolyn were walking behind them and pretended to make retching noises. Lily turned around and said 

"Hannah, you do realise that you are worse than us when you're with Remus."

Hannah felt something inside of her snap and ran off, nearly in tears.

"What was that about?"

"I think it might have something to do with who you just mentioned." Clare said

"Oh yeah." Lily muttered, "She's not usually like this though."

"And he's never missed a Quidditch game that she's played in." Sirius stated, "I'm guessing that she's going to be on edge for a bit."

"He really did pick the most awkwardest of times to go home and visit his aunt." Lily said

Clare, Carolyn and Lily didn't know about where Remus went every month, Sirius hated the fact that he had to lie to Lily about it but he had sworn not to tell _anyone _and that meant Lily too. Apart from Hannah and the other Marauders, the only other person who knew (Not including Snape) was Rachel, as she used to hang around with Hannah and Remus and had pretty much guessed since she used to study the stars.

"He can't help it though if she's ill can he?" Sirius responded

"I suppose."

"Come on." Carolyn said, "We have a party to get to."

They headed towards the Common Room and they could hear the music before they had even reached the corridor. When they walked in, the room was buzzing with a mixture of conversation, laughter and music. People congratulated Sirius and some asked where James was but he didn't know.

"Where's Hannah?" He asked "Or James?"

"Don't know where James is." Drake answered. " But Hannah's in the girl's dormitory."

Sirius let out a low cry of frustration, but decided not to let it bother him and went to dance with Lily. The chairs had been cleared and all there was, was a large space for dancing and nearly all of the Gryffindor house was in the mood for partying.

"You seem kind of distant." Lily said to Sirius as they were dancing.

"I dunno, I guess it's just the fact that we didn't really deserve to win." He murmured, "I mean we played for a maximum of half an hour, no-one got a proper game, it means a lot but at the same time, doesn't mean anything."

"I get what you mean." She smiled "Where are Hannah and James anyway, they were part of the team, yet they're not here."

"No-one knows where James is and Hannah's in the girl's dormitory."

"I'll go and get her."

She left and feeling rather lonely he asked Clare to dance.

* * *

"Hannah?" 

"What do you want?"

"Why you up here when there's a party on downstairs?" Lily asked, patiently

"Because I'm not in the party mood." She retorted, "What's the point, I'll only be left on my own anyway."

"He doesn't deserve you." Lily said, "He disappears every so often, not even with a good explanation, for all you know he could be with some other girl!"

"But he's not!" Hannah yelled, "And he doesn't need an explanation, I know where he is."

"You don't know for sure he's telling the truth."

"I do!"

"How?" Lily asked "How do you know Hannah, how do you know he isn't with some girl? Cheating on you?"

"Because he's a werewolf!"

Lily stood there stunned; she looked almost as stunned as Hannah.

"I shouldn't have said that." She whispered, biting her lip.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, shaking "What do you mean, he's a werewolf?"

"Just forget I said anything." She snapped, "Me and my big mouth!"

"How long have you known?"

"What does that matter?"

"Because I want to know how long you've been lying to me, Clare and Carolyn." Lily retorted

"Since first year." She muttered in reply

"Six years!" Lily exclaimed "How could you lie to us for six years!"

Hannah looked at her in astonishment.

"Lied to you?" She asked, "I kept a secret! I had to!"

"This kinda proves my point about you and Remus, you shouldn't be marrying him!"

"Why not? Because he's a werewolf?"

"Well duh!"

"How can you be so self centred – it doesn't change who he is. I don't see the fact that he's a werewolf – I never have!"

"Then more fool you." She snapped and walked out.

Tears filled Hannah's eyes, not for what had just happened but for her lover and the fact that she had just betrayed his trust.


	26. Sharing

Thursday turned to Friday and Saturday seemed to come as though a whole day had been skipped. Hannah and Lily still not talking and what made it worse was her telling Clare and Carolyn, although they hadn't taken it as bad as Lily, they were angry with both of them because the arguing was getting to everyone. So Clare had a plan for them to talk to each other again – in the form of sharing secrets!

"We all know that people keep secrets." Clare said, "So we are going to play a little game, we're going to see/share a secret that we have never told any one of the four of us. And we're going to see it!

"Why?" Lily asked

"Because you're accusing Hannah of lying, just because she kept a secret and it's only fair that we share secrets – but they are our own."

"That made no sense."

"So." Clare said "Well are we gonig to do this or what?"

"Alright." Carolyn and Hannah said

"Lets do it then."

"Who wants to go first?"

No-one volunteered an Clare began to get impatient and said

"Hannah can."

She sighed and let Clare say the spell, which showed one of her secrets

* * *

**"Why can't we just tell everyone?" Remus asked**

"**Because I've got a boyfriend, a violent one at that." Hannah answered, "I swear I'll try and break it off but I don't know if I can, you've seen what he does."**

"**And I hate seeing you like that." He whispered "It also hurts seeing you with him."**

"**Yet I'm always thinking of you." She smiled, "And your lips."**

"**It's so hard to try and keep my hand off you around school, I just want you to be mine and not have to share you."**

"**If not before, after this year you'll have me all to yourself."**

"**Third year sucks." Remus muttered, "Especially all this sneaking around."**

**She kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck.**

"**You got me to look forward to." She grinned, a grin which he returned.

* * *

**

"And we are not going to see anymore." Clare said

"Aww." Carolyn teased

"You had a secret relationship for a year?" Clare asked, turning to Hannah.

"Yeah." She answered, "Didn't you ever wonder where I kept disappearing to?"

"Not really."

"Nice to know I'm loved." She pouted

They laughed hard and Lily said

"Don't ever do that again, it improves your looks."

This made them laugh louder and harder and Hannah whacked Lily over the head with a pillow.

"Enough!" Clare said suddenly "Next person."

"Not me!" Carolyn said

"Or me!" Lily added

"Carolyn." Clare said

* * *

**Carolyn had her arms wrapped around someone but it was difficult to tell who. She was kissing him chastely and it wasn't until she was spun around that they saw that it was Snape. They were all over each other, Carolyn weaving her fingers in his hair. She kissed him hungrily, undoing the buttons of his shirt and pulling him onto the bed.**

"**I..Love..you." She whispered**

* * *

I don't want to see anymore." Clare muttered, looking slightly sickened.

"Us neither." Lily and Hannah added

"Well now you know why I regret it so much!" Carolyn muttered

"What possessed you?"

"I was drunk!"

"You must have been out of it to do that!" Lily said "Or on something."

"It's not funny!" Carolyn snapped

"No, it's disgusting!" They responded, pulling a face

"We ain't here to judge me though are we?" Carolyn smirked "Now lets get on with it."

"I'm going last." Lily said quickly as Clare was about to open her mouth

"Fine."

* * *

"**So what do you want done?" A woman asked**

"**That!" Clare pointed to a broken heart**

"**You sure?" The woman asked, looking surprised **

"**Yep."**

**Clare sat down in the chair, watching the man sterilise the needle. This was going to remind her to always think before she went out with someone and not to see guys for their appearance alone. As the man came towards her with the needle, her life seemed to flash before her but she shook herself mentally – this was something she _had_ to do, as well as getting over her fear of needles. She felt the needle press against her skin, it seemed to burn slightly and she winced in pain but took deep breaths and it was over almost as soon as it had started.**

"**You'll need to keep this over it for at least a week or two." She said**

**Clare paid and smiled to herself, killing two birds with one stone had never been so easy.

* * *

**

"When did you get a tattoo?" Hannah asked

"Summer before last." Clare answered, "It's to remind me not to judge guys so easily."

"And look where that got you." Carolyn said, "Heartbroken over Paul."

"This kinda explains why you didn't go out with anyone last year." Lily added, "I really think that we seem to be cursed you know."

"Why?"

"Well excluding this year, and for Hannah from fourth year, look back at all the guys we've dated."

"Drake, Joshua, Max, Peter, a few people I can't remember and including one night stands Snape." Carolyn said

"Kieran, Carl, John, Sirius, Alan, Paul, some lad with blue eyes whose name I can never remember, Ken." Clare added "The list is endless."

"When did you go out with Sirius?"

"For a dare, it went on for like a week or something."

"Oliver, Darren, Jamie, Alex, Lawrence, Mark, Terry, Aaron." Lily said, "People. I suck at remembering names."

"I don't even think we want to know all the lads you've been out with Han." Clare and Carolyn teased

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Hannah, before third year, you seemed to have a new boyfriend every few weeks."

"Okay then, I'll name, _a few_." Hannah smiled, "Jason, Craig, Michael, Matt, Jerry, David, Ali, Aianson, Richard, Tom, Alan, Alex,Ryan, Remus."

"Remus doesn't count." They said "And I thought you said a few."

"You said before _fourth_ year, I went out withRemus during third." Hannah replied, "And that is a few considering."

"Anyway, Lily's secret." Clare said, quickly.

"Alright." Lily sighed, "Does this spell pick random memories?"

"Yeah."

* * *

**Lily was sitting by the lake, minding her own business, no one around to disturb her when James came up behind her, trying not to draw attention to the fact that he was there, until he tripped over a stick and fell into the lake.**

**"James!" Lily yelled, as he got out of the water, "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"**

"**Nothing." He muttered, feeling extremely embarrassed.**

"**You were spying on me weren't' you?" **

"**No." sounding rather unconvincing**

"**I'm not going to go out with you!" she snapped**

"**How about a kiss then?" he asked, cheekily **

**Lily's face could have turned milk but after a moments worth of thinking, her face softened and she said**

"**One kiss and you promise to quit bugging me and swear to leave me alone for the rest of the year!"**

"**Okay."**

**Lily kissed him on the cheek, and grinned as she pulled back. **

**"I didn't say what type of kiss I'd give you." She smirked and walked off grinning.

* * *

**

"Who was that and where was the real Lily?" They asked

"Were you feeling okay?" Clare added

"Yeah." Lily answered, "I just found a way of using that to my advantage, he left me alone for nearly a whole year so it paid off."

They giggled, after all it was only a kiss on the cheek, it didn't mean anything and it was James. They would do anything just to get rid of him at times. Well, almost anything.


	27. Love and Laughter

"Can I just ask you something Hannah?" Lily asked

"What?"

"When you were in hospital after what Ryan did, was it because of you and Remus?"

Hannah looked slightly taken aback at what she had just said, she had been looking at her feet but her head had shot up. It had been the first time in years that anyone had mentioned it.

"Yeah." She whispered, "He'd found a picture of Remus and me and we were kissing, it was a Muggle picture so it wasn't as if it moved."

"And he freaked?" Clare asked

She nodded.

"All the scars are because of him and his jealousy." She added, "Remus was the only one who knew, the only one who's ever known."

"I'm sorry." Lily whispered, "For everything."

"You don't need to." Hannah said, "You mean well when you say things."

"It's only because I care and I don't want you getting hurt."

Lily said pulling her into a hug, and stood that way for a while until Clare and Carolyn shouted,

"Ay ay what about us" and "Group hug"

After a long group hug the girls let go of each other then Carolyn started laughing.

"Alright spill," Commanded the other three.

"I was just remembering the time the guys hugged in front of us and they were totally awkward afterwards," She giggled. This time they all joined in until Rachel came dashing into the room, completely surprising the four girls. Especially since she wasn't even in their house.

"What the hell you doing in here?" Hannah asked, "No offence like."

"Was chatting to James -."

"Snogging the face of him more like." Carolyn cut in.

"And he said you were up here "Sorting out differences"." She continued, "Something about secrets."

"Yeah." Hannah said, "That would be about right."

"What secrets?" She asked smiling

"You already know about one." Hannah responded, "Well, two."

"Wait, she knew about you and Remus?" They asked

Hannah nodded

"If you'd have seen anymore then you would have seen her doing her nut 'cause she found us together."

"And here's us thinking that you kept this all to yourself."

"Anyways, Sirius and James have been shouting you for the past ten minutes, hence the reason I'm up here."

"Who exactly?"

"Have no clue, but probably Lily." Rachel answered, "But I think they want Hannah as well because they have something to show her."

Looked slightly bemused the tow of them left and Clare and Carolyn looked at her wondering what she meant.

"It's more of a person they want her to see."

"Who?"

"Who do you think?"

"Oh."

"Hey gorgeous." Sirius smiled, and kissed Lily.

"What did you want us for?" Lily asked after a few moments

"Do I need a reason to want to see you?" Sirius asked, puppy-dog look written all over his face.

"She doesn't, but I do." Hannah said

"Oh, you're wanted upstairs in our dorm."

"Right." Hannah said and left.

Sirius turned his attention back to Lily, a hand cupping the side of her face, kissing her gently on the lips.

"So exactly what were you doing up there anyway?"

"That's none of your business." She giggled, "Now why did you want me? I was having fun!"

Sirius pretended to look hurt

"Nice to know I'm loved!" He whimpered, "I only wanted to spend some time with you."

"Oh come here." Lily said, rolling her eyes and planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

"What's wrong with wanting to spend some time with my girlfriend anyway?"

"Nothing." Lily grinned, "But I was having fun! And you never told me you went out with Clare!"

Sirius' mouth dropped slightly

"How do you know that?"

Lily tapped the side of her nose

"Now that would be telling."

Sirius suddenly sprouted a grin and wrapped his arms around her, he tickled her gently at first but he gradually tickled her more and more and Lily's squeals could be heard throughout the Gryffindor tower.

"Shut up" Rachel, Carolyn, and Clare screamed. Lily and Sirius stood shocked still in an awkward position till they fell on the couch laughing quietly to each other.

"You can hear the two of you in our dorm with the door shut!" Clare added, looking rather annoyed

"Sorry." Lily smiled guiltily

"What's the date today?" Carolyn asked

"23rd."

"Dammit we still got 8 days left till Halloween." She muttered and sulked slightly

"I think we best leave them two alone." Clare added, puling Carolyn in the direction of the girl's dormitory.

"And I'm going to go find James!"

After the three of them had gone, Lily turned to Sirius and said

"Talking about Halloween, what you going as?"

"What do you mean?"

"What are you dressing up as?" Lily asked, "And don't say your not because you have to!"

"I don't know!" Sirius muttered defensively, "What about you?"

"You'll just have to wait and see." Lily grinned evilly

"Awww come on Lily." Sirius whimpered

"No!" She said, folding her arms

"Do I have to drag you up to the boy's dorm and get it out of you?" He asked

"You can't." Lily pointed out, "Hannah and Remus are up there."

"Hey, it's my dorm as well!" and he picked Lily up by the waist as carried her up the stairs and into the dormitory. Filled with silence.

"Thought they were in here." Lily said

"Remus must have gone to sleep." Sirius responded, "I'll just check."

Before Sirius could even reach the bed, Lily said

"Is that wise? After what happened last time."

Sirius pulled back the curtain anyway and turned to Lily and grinned

"Told ya!"

"Looks like they both needed to catch up on sleep though." Lily pointed out, "Either that or Hannah's no longer one of the few girls in the year anymore."

Sirius looked at her extremely confused.

"It's too much for your little brain to handle."

"My brain is not small!" Sirius sniffed, sounding very defensive

"Come on, you don't want to wake them up do you?"

"Yeah actually because it's time for Dinner soon!"

"It's after 5 o'clock."

"Exactly!"

Sirius muttered something under his breath and with a flick of his wand something appeared that looked extraordinarily like a megaphone.

"Earth to people!" He shouted, "WAKE UP!"

Both Remus and Hannah woke with a start and Hannah hurled her boot at Sirius' head, which missed by a few centimetres.

"Can't a girl have some peace?"

"Not in my dorm you can't!" Sirius teased

"That was a bit harsh Sirius." Lily said

"I know, but they had to be woken up."

"Why?" Remus asked

"Food."

"Does your life revolve around food and pranks?" He asked

"And Lily!" Sirius added, "You can't forget Lily! But yeah probably."

"One of the only one's still then Han." Lily said

Hannah just started at her, as she knew exactly what she meant.

"I ain't so quick to throw it away Lil, not like you, Caz and Clazza."

"That don't go with who you are Hannah, no offence."

"Come on." Sirius said, "I'm hungry!"

"Time is it?"

"Time to eat!"

"It's about 5:30."

"Damn, I gotta do that essay!" Hannah muttered

"You haven't done it yet?" Sirius asked, "I did mine on Thursday!"

"You mean I did!" Lily retorted

"I'm going for something to eat." Sirius said, "Anyone else coming?"

"I will before you complain anymore." Lily answered

"We'll be down later."

Lily and Sirius left the Common room and headed for the Great Hall and Lily turned to Sirius and said teasingly

"You really do think about food a lot though don't you?"


	28. Bad Boys, Prince Charming and Knights in...

"I think about you more though." He said, "You occupy most of my thoughts, about 85 percent."

"What about the other 15 percent?"

"School, food, pranks." Sirius answered, "The usual."

"You know, a few years ago I could have easily have erased you from my life, but now I don't think I could live without you."

"I don't think I could live without you either."

He kissed her hand and looked into her eyes for a few moments

"Wonder what my mum would say if she saw me now."

"Why?" Lily asked, "That bad?"

"Yeah, it's the whole Muggle born thing." Sirius pulled a face "As far as I'm concerned the only family I have is Hannah. Shame you can't choose your family."

"I know what you mean, my sister is an absolute bitch!"

"My sister's the closest thing I've got, she at least had Remus when she was growing up, before she moved."

"How long have they known each other?"

"Nearly all their lives, they lived next door to each other for a few years but Remus' family had to move and then Hannah had to move in with us, she used to say that he was the only family she had ever needed

"I've known her since 1st year and I've never bothered to ask that question." Lily laughed, as they walked through the doors of the Hall

"Are we the only one's here?" Sirius asked, "Well out of all of us."

"Looks like it." Lily answered

- - - - - -

"Are you okay hun?" Remus asked Hannah, "You're shivering."

"I don't feel well." She answered, curling up under the covers.

Remus stroked the top of her hair.

"I'll go down and get some food then alright and then I'll come back up."

"I'll be in the Common Room."

"Thought you were ill."

"I may be ill but I still got a essay to do." Hannah pointed out, sniffing.

"And I never get your logic." He chuckled

"No one does." Hannah smiled, "Not even me."

"Well you go downstairs and start your essay then and I'll bring some food up."

"Okay." She smiled

When he left, Hannah looked at his bedside table and picked up a picture, she let out a small sigh, it was moments like that she'd cherish forever – part of her wished it could be like that forever, that they'd always be together. She opened up her locket and she let a few notes of hers and Remus' song play – Another Nail For My Heart by Squeeze. It was her favourite song, and everytime she heard a Squeeze song she thought of him – she didn't know why, they just did. Snapping the clasp of the locket shut, she placed the photo down. Remus was her past, present and future – so why did she feel so distant from him. She grabbed her bag from under his bed and went down into the common room and began to write a paragraph for her essay but when she read through it decided it wasn't relevant and scrunched it up.

- - - - - - - -

"I'm glad I didn't have to stick to that promise." James smiled

"Why?"

"I was going out off my mind!" He answered, "I mean I could see you around school but it was killing me not being able to talk to you."

"Nice to know I'm loved." Rachel grinned

"Ok since were talking again… Can I kiss you?" James asked quietly. Rachel heard it all the same.

"I think I could live with that." She replied cheekily. James grinned at her then leant in, but got a few centimetres from her lips before Rachel put a finger to his lips and whispered

"I don't want it to be some small and quick kiss."

James gently pulled her wrist away and with his other hand pulled her the rest of the way to his mouth. He didn't know why but those last few days had seemed to make him want her even more. Just feeling the touch of her lips make him shiver, but in a good way. The kiss seemed to last for an eternity like time was just standing still and neither wanted to end it, but Rachel ended it to take a breath and just fell into his arms. She never wanted to not talk to him again – there was something about him that attracted him to her but she just didn't know what it was.

- - - - - -

"What is it with us and guys?" Clare asked

"I have no idea but we seem to be attracted to bad guys." Carolyn grinned

Clare look puzzled,

"You've lost me!"

"Well look at it this way, all of us have either fancied, gone out with or are going out with a Marauder." Carolyn explained, "It's the bad boy image – how many of the lads we've been out with have been in Slytherin?"

"Quite a few actually."

"Me, you, Hannah, Lily and Rachel all seem to be attracted to them." She said, "It's one of life's great mysteries why we seem to find that side irresistible!"

"Bad boy grin that makes you swoon." Clare sighed, "The looks they give you that are all knowing and flirtatious!"

"The fact they all seem to be drop dead gorgeous, especially biker lads."

"In Leather!" They chorused

"Now that is a sight I could never get bored of!" Clare laughed

They spent the next half an hour talking about all of the celebrities with bad boy images and all of the boys in the 7th year. Although still pondering at the question – What makes bad boys so irresistible?

- - - - - -

Even though Sirius was hungry he didn't eat much, he just kept looking at Lily every so often, something that he couldn't help doing.

"Will you please stop that?" She asked, "Have you any idea how annoying it is having someone watch you eat?"

"I can't help it if you're gorgeous." He sniffed, pretending to look hurt.

Lily rolled her eyes slightly, he was such an idiot at times but even when she felt like hitting him he managed somehow to make her forget why she was mad at him in the first place, making her heart melt. She saw Remus come in and grab some food and the leave again which she thought was extremely odd, but then again most things the Marauders did were odd.

"What was all that about?" Sirius asked

"You're asking me?" Lily responded, "He's _your_ friend!"

"I know." Sirius said, "Doesn't mean I know what's going on."

- - - - - -

"You been waiting for me?" Remus asked Hannah

She nodded

"What would you do without me?"

"I have no idea." She answered, "Probably have a broken heart like the last time."

"Hannah, we were five years old!"

"And you were my best friend and the only person who cared about me."

Her bottom lip quivered slightly – she hated thinking about stuff like that.

"Come here." He whispered

She did as she was told and went and sat on his lap, he wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled into his warmth.

"The one place I never want to leave." She muttered to herself, as he held her in his arms

"What?"

"I never want to leave your arms." She said

Remus smiled slightly

"Have you any idea how cheesy that sounds?"

"So?"

"Why not anyway?"

"Because you make me feel safe and even when it's cold you make me feel warm inside. When I'm with you it's like living in a fairytale."

"Except fairytales have happy endings." Remus said, "The Princess marries Prince Charming or a Knight in Shining Armour. She finds her true love and then lives happily ever after."

"It's not true love though if it's a happy ending, true love doesn't have an ending." Hannah responded "And if you're going to be like that, _you're_ my Knight in Shining Armour _and_ my Prince Charming rolled into one."

"Except Prince Charming's gorgeous, talented, and has everything."


	29. Love

Hannah rolled her eyes.

"What about Beauty and the Beast?" She asked

"He's still a Prince."

"Remus if you don't shut up, I'll wear leather to the Halloween ball!"

Remus looked at her and she gave him a warning look as if to tell him to shut up.

"Are you gonna help me with my essay or what?" She flashed him a dazzling smile, which he always gave in to.

Remus smiled back and rolled his eyes. Even though she already knew all of it, she still wanted him to help her with it, as it was "his area of expertise". They got halfway through when a kiss stopped them getting any further.

"What was that for?" Remus asked

"Do I need a reason for kissing you?"

He shrugged

"Maybe it was just to prove a point, to prove that I love you no matter what – Werewolf of not." Hannah said, "Or it might be for the simple fact I wanted to."

She could see something in his eyes; something that she only saw when that was mentioned and she kissed him again, but on the cheek.

"I love you." She whispered, running her fingers through his hair "Even if you do have random grey hair."

"Hey!"

"I'm joking." She giggled, leaning her head on his shoulder, "There's nowhere I'd rather be than in your arms and no-one else I'd rather be with. You may just be one person to the world, but you're everything to me."

* * *

Tiptoeing carefully into the Common Room, Sirius had hold of Lily's hand and lead her to the boy's dormitory, stopping slightly at the top of the stairs to kiss her, backing her against the wall, leant in and kissed her tenderly at first but slowly became more passionate, he lifted her up and carried her to the dormitory, closed the door behind them and tipped them onto his bed, kissing each other like they were out of control. It was everything Lily had ever wanted but for some reason she stopped Sirius from going any further.

"I can't." She whispered to him

"Sirius looked at her and understood

"I want to but I don't think I'm ready for it." She added quietly.

"No offence Lily, but you kinda tease Hannah about being a virgin, yet you're one." Sirius said.

"But they think I'm not." Lily explained, "I had this little whirlwind romance on holiday summer before last and when I got back they asked if anything happened and 'cause I didn't answer, they assumed I did lose it but I never corrected them even though I should have."

Sirius didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. She was his girlfriend and it wasn't as if she'd lied to her friends about it – well not in so many words anyway. He loved her and he wasn't going to make her do anything that she wasn't ready for.

* * *

There was an owl knocking on the window and Carolyn went to open it and retrieved a note from its beak. She opened it and it said.

I wanted you to know how much I love you and how much you mean to me, although it doesn't seem like it sometimes I notice you more than anyone else. You're beautiful.

"What's it say?" Clare asked

Carolyn sighed for a minute, and read the note over and over, no name, no sign of who it was from, she couldn't help but wonder who it was who had sent it. Did they really think she was beautiful? Someone noticed her? She didn't know what to make of the note but it suggested a secret admirer.

"Well?" Clare Asked impatiently

Carolyn passed the note to Clare, who read and just shrugged her shoulders.

"So you've got a secret admirer. Big deal!"

"It is to me!"

"Whatever Caz!" Clare teased, "I'm going to bed anyway."

"Night."

But Carolyn did the same and flopped onto her bed and thoughts of who her admirer could be consumed her dreams.

* * *

She felt his arms tighten around her and he kissed the top of her hair. She fell into an uneasy sleep, leaving her essay unfinished, so Remus put a charm on her quill so it wrote whilst he dictated. He loved Hannah more than anything, but he was scared that he would lose her to some other guy. He saw a piece of parchment scrunched up in her hand; he slowly prised it from her hand and read it.

_Every textbook I've read and every teacher I've asked have all said that werewolves in their human form are aggressive and short tempered; yet I know and love a werewolf and he is the kindest and most gentle person I've ever met. But there are times where I wish that he wasn't, because I've seen the pain it causes him, I can see the pain in his eyes when someone mentions the full moon or the fact that he's a werewolf. I don't understand what it's like, I can't even begin to imagine but I sometimes just wish that he wasn't one, just to see the pain disappear._

A single tear trickleddown the side of his face and he saw a little bit underneath

_Not relevant_

He looked at her and remembered when she asked him about the fact that he was a werewolf.

--------------

"**Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, "I'm meant to be your best friend!"**

"**You don't think I wanted to?" He answered, small tears trickling down his face.**

"**But why didn't you?"**

"**I was afraid alright!" He retorted, "I was afraid you'd turn against me."**

"**Turn against you?" She asked, "I'm your best friend! If anyone understands you it's me!"**

"**It's okay for you – you've got loads of friends to turn to who understand you, I've only got you!"**

"**But you're the only family I got."**

**----------------**

Remus remembered that she had lost countless number of boyfriends because of him, because she kept defending him. She'd said that he had been the only guy who had ever told her that she was beautiful and meant it, even when she had had to wear a plaster cast around her nose for a week and looked like a complete idiot, he had still told her that she was beautiful. He looked at her now whilst she was sleeping, and she reminded him of when she was a little girl – vulnerable and innocent. He let the soft sounds of her breathing slowly lull him to sleep and he had a small smile on his face.

* * *

_**I'M SO SORRY IT'S TAKEN SO LONG TO DO THIS, I'VE HAD A LOT TO DO – EXAMS AND I'VE HAD WRITERS BLOCK AS WELL SO AGAIN, I'M SORRY.**_


	30. Memories

_**Lily**_

_Dear Diary,  
I'm already falling for him, why him? why a Marauder? why Sirius? I'm going to end up with my heart broken like all of the other girls! He's a player for goodness sake! Why is it that the only decent Marauder is taken? By one of my best friends as well! No that I'm complaining, he isn't exactly good looking but at least Remus doesn't really prank anyone, I think he's the person who helps plan pranks more than anything, although that prank on me last week was not funny but Hannah made him feel really guilty over it, I think she has him wrapped around her finger or something. I wish for one moment that a guy would do anything for me without even a hesitation - she's so lucky! I wish I could get Sirius out of my head but everywhere I go I see him and I see his face when I close my eyes. Damn I got it bad!_

_I'm gonna go do some homework cause if i don't do it then the four of us are screwed!_

_Lily_

Lily thought to herself for a moment, she wondered if Sirius felt the same way about her as she did him and she highly doubted it, granted both were popular but he acted like he didn't know who she was!

_'Wonder if Hannah can see if Remus will get me a date with him_.' she wondered

Lily sighed and picked up her Charms book, an essay on Cheering Charms. Stupid teacher had messed up in third year and given them the fifth year syllabus by mistake so now in fifth year they were doing a third year syllabus. She cursed loudly, it was her turn to do homework and she hated it. At the begining of fourth year they had decided that out of four subjects each of them did that set homework. For Lily it was Charms, Clare it was Defence Against The Dark Arts, Carolyn was History Of Magic and Hannah had Potions. For Lily, Clare and Hannah it didn't matter because that was their speciallity but Carolyn had drawn the short straw.

Lily threw the book across the room in frustration, she couldn't take the fact that Sirius was haunting her thoughts anymore, she couldn't get him out of her head. She had two choices, all four of them in detention and she could daydream or do the essay.

* * *

__

_**Sirius**_

Sitting in a Potions detention was not the best place to be, especially with a girl who your best friend was besotted with. Copying out notes and answering questions from previous lessons wasn't what Sirius had had in mind. Usually it was James and he in detention together but they had decided to give James something a little more challenging and also made sure that they were not in the same room as each other. He looked at his watch – it was only 7:10, only ten minutes had past but that had seemed like a lifetime. He glanced over at Lily, she was writing away like crazy as if to get out of detention early. He didn't even know why she was there – Lily Evans, model student, got top marks in everything. She was the last person he expected to see in detention. Sirius found himself staring at the back of her head, looking at how her hair fell. He closed his eyes and the image of her face formed in his head.

_'No!' _He moaned inside his head _'Please God, anyone but her! I can't be falling in love with Lily!'_

He looked at his watch again - 7:30. Half and hour left and he couldn't keep his eyes off her, he couldn't be falling for her! Could he? He shok himsself mentally, James wanted, she wasn't worth risking their friendship, no girl would come between them. He and James had made a pact that they wouldn't date any girl who the other fancied, was it worth going back on that pact? NO.

_'But she's so hot.'_ he thought, _'It was only a promise,one that I swore I'd never go back on! Note to self never make promises like that agian!'_

James was his best friend, he wasn't going to betray his trust.

"Both of you may now leave!" The Potions Master said

Sirius let out a sigh of relief. He was glad that the hour was over.

* * *

__

_**Hannah**_

"You've got a very loyal friend there Miss." The nurse said, meaning Remus, "Been here almost two weeks straight."

Hannah smiled

"He's slightly more than a friend." She responded

"Boyfriend?"

"Kind of." She answered

"I'll just give you your insulin and then I'll go."

She handed her a tray with a syringe on and Hannah injected herself with the needle, wincing slightly. When the nurse left, she tried to move but she didn't want to risk waking Remus up. She played with a strand of his hair, thinking about what had happened. She could remember telling Ryan that it was over between them and when he had asked her if it had anything to do with Remus, she hadn't answered. She remembered him hitting her across the face but it went black after that, she was in hospital two weeks later. She saw that Remus' face was stained with tears and she gently touched the side of his face.

"I love you." She whispered, "I just wish it wasn't this complicated."

"Can't be helped though can it?" Remus said, lifting his head up

"I thought you were asleep." She said

"I've been awake for about ten minutes, I heard what you said to the nurse." He said, "That I'm kind of your boyfriend."

"Well at the moment I don't know what you are." She whispered "And anyway, have you actually left this room?"

Remus shook his head.

"Has Ryan been in?"

"He's in Azkaban, Hannah." Remus muttered, "Charged him with GBH and attempted murder."

"Attempted murder?"

"Yeah, you nearly died."

* * *

__

_**Remus**_

"You think I care?" Hannah asked, sounding sightly agitated, "I swear, you are one of the smartest people in the year, yet you are so dense it is untrue!"

"I'm dangerous, I don't want you getting hurt." Remus whispered

"Isn't that what you're doing now though by breaking my heart?" She cried in frustration, "And anyways, so what if you're dangerous its partly the dangerous side I'm attracted to, your bad boy side is attractive to me and I don't know why any girl can't see that."

He didn't meet her eyes, he couldn't but she lifted his chin up and smiled. She loved him for who he was and not for what she wanted him to be, she wouldn't change anything about him. well almost nothing.

"Why me?" He asked quietly, "You could have any guy in this school and you choose me."

"You're my best friend and no matter how many guys I date or how many I kiss it only makes me love you more." She answered truthfully, "Trust me, I tried it."

"I - I - I'm..."

"So what if your not as popular as Sirius or James and you don't have girls throwing themselves at you. You're forgetting that I'm one of the most popular girls in school, yet I'd give up any popularity, dammit I'd give up everything before I lost you. I admit it okay, I can't live without you, you're the closest thing I've got to normalilty. Everything I touch seems to fall around me, look at my family, I was passed from foster home to foster home before they found my dad and even then I had a crappy childhood. You're the one good thing in my life Remus, and don't ever forget that. I'm popular because I'm pretty! Why can't you see that you being a werewolf doesn't change _who_ you are, that doesn't define you but you wanna know something if I had a choice I would make it so you weren't a werewolf, but only so it don't hurt you anymore."

Tears spilled out of her eyes, he was the only person who she had ever truely opened her heart to and he would be the only one.

"Hannah, I - "

She didn't let him finish, instead she kissed him tenderly on the lips.

* * *

__

_**Carolyn**_

"Daddy." She cried, as he walked out of the house, at seven years old she knew he wasn't coming back, "Daddy!"

"He ain't coming back baby." Her mother whispered, taking her in her arms.

"Where's he going?" she asked

"I don't know." Her mother answered, "And to be honest sweetie, I don't care, he can throw himself under a bus for all I care!"

She look confused, she may have understood that he wasn't coming back, but she didn't know what her mother meant.

"Don't you love him anymore?"

Her mother didn't answer, how could she tell her only child that her father was never coming back and that she didn't love him anymore, instead she just shook her head, she didn't think her daughter would understand

"Why not?" She implored, "Did you ever love him?"

"I did a long time ago but it's just one of these things that happen Carolyn, and I'm afraid he isn't coming back."

"Does he love me?"

"He loves you very much, but he doesn't love me anymore so he isn't staying here, he might be at your Nanna's."

"I want my Daddy!" She cried

"I know baby." Her mother cradled her but she broke free.

"I want him back!" She whispered, "Why can't he come back?"

She ran out of her mothers arms and ran into her bedroom, she buried her head into her teddy bear and cried, she didn't want anything at the moment apart from her dad, she was a daddy's girl at heart. She wanted him to take her in his arms and read her a story like he had done every night. She closed her eyes and wished she could wake up from a horrible nightmare and without realising sent a book flying across the room by using what little magic she possessed.

* * *

__

_**James**_

"I hate being popular!" James moaned

"You weren't saying that yesterday when Alison was all over you." Sirius stated

"There is no such thing as popularity," Remus piped up from behind his book, being in one of his philosiphical moods, "Popularity was conceived by those who needed reasurance that they are worth something in this world, popularity means connection that is it."

Both James and Sirius burst out laughing, it was amusing when Remus came out with things like that.

"Where do you get these things?" James asked

"I read!" Remus answered, "Shame the same thing can't be said for you."

"Girls don't like guys that read!" James retorted, "It's a known fact."

"Yet I have a one of the most desired girls in the school and you don't any." Remus grinned

James looked at him apparently beaten but he turned around and said

"I do read sometimes though."

"Quidditch books DON'T count!"

"Well then I might take up reading as a hobby then." James responded, "To impress a certain girl."

"This wouldn't be a certain Lily Evans by chance would it?" Sirius asked, "Face it James, you're never going to get her - she HATES you and thats putting it lightly, I think it's more of a despise myself."

James stuck his tongue out at him. He hated losing an arguement to either Sirius or Remus but to lose two arguements to both of them was just plain evil.

* * *

__

_**Clare**_

"Do you mind if I sit here?" a girl asked Clare. She had long brown hair to her hips and was carrying a trunk that looked like it was too heavy for her, she would later become her best friend.

"Sure," Clare smiled, "I'm Clare by the way."

"Carolyn." the girl returned the smile

"Your first year?" she asked

Carolyn nodded.

"Me too." Clare added, "I've been looking forward to it for months."

"Same here." Carolyn said, she sounded excited, "I've only ever seen pictures of it, I've got no brothers or sisters to tell me what its like."

"My sister went here, she left last year. She said it was the best place ever and she never wanted to leave. She said she'd go back and teach but she can't stand teaching."

Both Carolyn and Clare laughed at this.

"What about your mum or dad?" Clare asked, "Didn't they go to Hogwarts?"

"My dad did but I haven't seen him since I was seven and my mum went to Beauxbatons."

"The French school?"

Carolyn nodded

"She wanted me to go there but I didn't like the idea of living in France and of course there's Dumbledore at Hogwarts so it's not as if I'm not going to get a good education here is it?"

"I suppose not." Clare giggled, "How come you haven't seen your dad since you were seven? if you don't mind me asking."

"It's okay, he and my mum split up when I was seven and he never came back and I haven't heard from him since."

* * *

**And I have to say I do not own the part about popularity I borrowed it from my friend Rachel! I am not that clever to have come up with it!"**


	31. Halloween Part 1

The morning of the Halloween Ball soon came and everyone was excited, all the girls had their outfits sorted as did the marauders. Carolyn and Clare had managed to find dates in the form of two 7th year Hufflepuffs Cian and Andrew. Hannah, Lily and Rachel were going with Remus, Sirius and James but Peter (whom no one had really spoken to for a while) wasn't going. The girls outfits ranged from Tinkerbell to an ice queen. Lily was going as an ice queen, Carolyn was going as tinkerbell, Clare was going as a muggle high school cheerleader, Hannah however refused to tell anyone about her outfit and said that they would see when it was time. Sirius, James and Remus were going as the Three Muskateers, although it wasn't their idea but they reluctantly agreed to it. Everyone in the Gyrffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw 7th year was looking forward to the decorations to see if the Slytherin's had amnaged to pull it off - something which everyone highly doubted but it could be done, just not to the high standards of Gryffindor.

"You have to tell us what you're wearing Han, it's necessary!" Lily said, pleading with her.

"NO!" Hannah responded, getting fed up of being harrassed, "I will however give you a clue."

"Which is?"

"Something I would't usually wear but the colour is just right."

"Something that you wouldn't usually wear..." She paused, "Oh My God you're wearing either a dress or a skirt!"

Hannah just grinned at her friends' suggestion.

"I'm right!" She laughed, "Miracles can happen!"

"Dont' say anything." She said, "Don't want anyone knowing."

"Only if you show me it." Lily answered slyly

Hannah looked at her as a no but with a look from Lily she gave in, it was worth shutting her up. Hannah took out of her wardrobe a small pleated black skirt that was so short it didn't look as if it covered anything. Lily had a look of horror on her face when she looked at it.

"You are kidding right?"

Hannah shook her head

"Exactly what are you trying to do egg guys on?" Lily asked, not wanting to know the answer

"Well actually, it's to show guys what they can't have and me basically flirting."

"With Remus there?" Lily looked horrified, "Are you mad? Has he seen this?"

"Not yet."

Before Lily could rant any longer Carolyn and Clare flew in, laughing and looking very suspicious. Carolyn noticed the skirt and said,

"What's that?"

"Nothing." Hannah said quickly, grabbing it off Lily and tried to hide it but Carolyn and Clare were too quick for her.

"Who's is this?"

"Hannah's!" Lily stated, letting out a sigh.

"Oh My God you whore!" Clare said, looking at Hannah, "Were you planning on wearing this for the ball?"

She nodded.

""Does Remus know?"

"No he does not, now will you drop it."

"No way!"

Lily took the skirt and went to the boy's dormitory and threw it at Remus, looking extremly disgusted. Remus looked at her enquiringly, he had no idea what to say or how to respond.

"Have you seen what fiancee is wearing to the ball?" She asked

His eyes seemed to almost pop out and his jaw dropped.

"Shit!" he whispered

"Exactly."

Lily left feeling a mixture of disgust and amazement. Disgust that Hannah would actually go out in public wearing something like that but amazement that she was actually wearing a skirt since a few weeks previous she had sworn never to wear anything like that. She ran into Hannah on the stair but didn't meet her eyes.

"You showed him didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did!" Lily retorted, "This is strange even for you, you swore you would only ever wear a dress for your wedding day and a skirt was a 'NO'!"

Hannah stormed off and into the boys dormitory and saw Remus' face when she saw him.

"You're wearing this?" He asked, quietly

"Depends, on what you say now."

"Well put it on and I'll decide."

She went behind the curtain of his bed whilst he stood on the other side and when she emerged his jaw dropped again. He couldn't help but think how sexy she looked in it, even if it did skim the top of her ass.

"Well?" She asked, biting her bottom lip

"God you look sexy in it!" He breathed, "Even if you do look like a whore."

He took hold of her hand and spun her to him and kissed her but she broke away whispering,

"You'll have to wait till tonight."


	32. Halloween part 2

Six o'clock and the girls were frantic. Lily and Hannah had made up after their little dispute and all four of them were running around trying to get ready but there were fresh screaming matches when someone hogged the bathroom for more than fifteen minutes. Lily had been in there for over twenty-five and all three girls were getting really pissed off with her.

"GET OUT OF THERE!" Clare yelled through the door, "Some of us still need to get ready!"

"Keep ya hair on Clare! I'm almost done!" Came Lily's muffled reply

Lily emerged from the bathroom, looking like what resembled a drowned rat having had no time to dry her hair. She shot Clare a humungous glare which made her laugh as she walked into the bathroom and slammed the door. She dried herself and started to get changed into her costume, which took her forever to work out how to put it on. When she was half way through after putting on the dress, she let Hannah do her hair and Carolyn do her make-up. She had given Hannah permission to dye her hair white blonde with a special potion, knowing however she would probably live to regret it but Hannah had assured her that it was safe and it would work with no side effects. With a light dusting of make-up and her lipstick done, she let Hannah dye her hair. She held her breath and waited for her to finish, once Hannah had said the words 'Voila' she looked at her hair and gasped, she didn't know how she managed to get herself talked into it. Hannah dried it carefully and put it into loose ringlets and gave it a spray with some super strength hairspray. Lily stood up and looked in the mirror, putting on her crown, she would never have believed it was her if she hadn't of been standing there looking at the reflection. Her pale blue dress was stunning and was just touched the floor, it was sprinkled with small (real looking) frosted diamonds to add to the effect, she certainly looked the part of an ice queen

Carolyn changed into her outfit but refused to let either Hannah or Lily do her make-up or hair. Her brown hair was now blonde but not white blonde like Lily's, it hung down loose but was shorter than it usually was. Her dress was a green and resembled something that reminded all four girls of a nymph. It fell just below the knee and was cut jaggedly at the bottom, she tied a green ribbon around her hair and wound it into a bun and put on her pale green slipper like shoes. Her make-up was simple, a bit of concealer and a faint brush of green eye-shadow, her lipstick was of a faint pink. She no longer looked like what she had done a few hours previously.

Clare came out of the bathroom, already wearing part of her outfit, the pleated skirt. It was blue and white and was short for what she would usually wear, but nonetheless it was her outfit and she pulled the top over her head - it had originally had a letter "L" on it but she had changed it to a "H", the top showed off some of her midriff but she didn't complain. The only thing missing from her outfit was pom poms but she was hardly going to take them to a ball. Clare's hair was tied in a twist at the back, with a blue ribbon keeping it in place.

"Someone help me with my make-up!" She cried out

"Clare, I had my shower first and I'm still running around in my underwear!" Hannah snapped, but grinned, "Get Lily to do it!"

Lily rolled her eyes but she did however do Clare's make-up, simple but effective. Blue eye-shadow to match her outfit and bright red lipstick, she also painted her nails blue and white.

"Lily!" Hannah called, "I need your help!"

Lily walked over to her friend's bed and looked at her outfit, raised her eyebrows but didn't say anything. Hannah's outfit consisted of an extremely short black skirt and a very revealing black corset style top and as her outfit was so revealing she had taken to wearing just a pair of black knickers for underwear.

"What do you need help with?"

"Fastening the top."

"Why didn't you use your wand?"

"I can't find it!"

Lily let out a hollow laugh but she fastened it for her and dragged her to the mirror and said.

"I'm doing your hair and your make-up so don't even think about doing anything!"

Lily grinned evilly. With her outfit being black, Lily chose to use dark colours, She used bronzer to darken her pale skin, but also used a small amount of fake tan much to Hannah's disgust. She put on a deep red shade of lipstick and a dark blue eye-shadow. Just as Lily was about to change her hair, Hannah stopped her.

"Change the colour and I will personally kill you, three blondes are enough!"

"I wasn't going to." Lily responded, "But now you mention it…"

"Don't you dare!"

Lily laughed slightly, She flicked her wand and styled her hair elegantly.

"Shit it's half past seven!" Carolyn said

The four girls rushed to find shoes and other little accessories, they were late as always but the boys didn't expect anything different from them, it was a regular occurrence. They joked that the girls would be late for their own funerals, Sirius even piped up that Hannah would be hours late for her own wedding - to which he had been slapped. As Lily and Hannah were leaving they saw Clare and Carolyn having a heated discussion.

"You'll only end up getting hurt!"

"It's my life Clare, now butt out of it!"

"Come on you two!" Lily yelled, "We've gotta go."

The girls rushed down the stairs and saw two very annoyed looking Marauders. Clare and Carolyn giggled and said to Lily and Hannah

"Have fun."

Both Lily and Hannah smiled innocently, knowing it wouldn't work and linked their boyfriends arms. Lily kissed Sirius on the cheek and told him that she was sorry for being late. Sirius snorted, she was never sorry for being late, if she was she wouldn't be late again.

"You're mad at me aren't you?" Lily said to him quietly

"No." He said, "Just narked that I had to sit there in this ridiculous costume for half an hour!"

They walked into the Great Hall, and they were amazed by the decorations, the Slytherin's had gone all out, the Hall was decorated with the usual Halloween stuff, but this year it had that extra twist that no-one could quite put their finger on.

"You look beautiful by the way." Sirius whispered

"Thanks, you look - "

"Don't even say it."

"Dance with me."

Sirius smiled and spun her towards him and they danced to a fairly fast song by the Weird Sisters.

"I like your hair, you suit blonde."

"Well tough, I don't even know why I let Hannah talk me into it to be perfectly honest."

"How did I know this would have something to do with my sister."

He kissed her lightly on the lips just as the song finished.

--------

"Why were you so late down?" Andrew asked

"We were getting ready." Clare answered as they danced

"Just out of curiosity, what are you meant to be?"

"Muggle Cheerleader!" Clare said, as if it were obvious

"Thought you were pure."

"I am." Clare snapped

"Oh."

Clare looked at him, he seemed to have all the arrogance of a Slytherin, come to think of it, she didn't actually know what house he was in, he was with Cian at the time so she just assumed he was a Hufflepuff. She sounded like Malfoy, the fact that he had asked her if she was a pure blood made her think, no-one had ever asked her about it before.

"What house you in?" Clare asked him, "'Cause I never asked."

"Slytherin." Andrew answered, "Cian's my step-brother. That's how come we're in different houses."

"Oh right." Clare responded

The pair of them remained quiet for the rest of the song, just dancing slowly, Clare wanted nothing more than to stop dancing with him and sit down but she wasn't about to spend the entire night sitting alone whilst she watched her friends having fun. She just happened to glance over at where people were sitting and saw Snape looking depressed - she did not want that to be her. She saw Carolyn with Cian, she looked like she was enjoying herself but Clare knew something was bothering her. She saw Lily and Sirius sitting down talking, she knew how much Lily hated the song that was playing. Hannah and Remus on the other hand looked happy dancing - Clare was the first to admit she was jealous of her friends, they all had people who cared about them - loved them, she didn't.

- - - - - -

Slowly dancing to a Muggle love long that Dumbledore had told them must be played, Hannah leant her head on Remus' chest. She knew the song that was playing but she just couldn't think what it was called, she didn't like the song much, but she didn't care about the song - just the person she was dancing with.

"You do realise you have quite a lot of guys staring at you." Remus said

"Yeah." She replied, "But there is only ever going to be one guy who will see what's under it." She made a point of smiling at him when she said it.

"Well I plan to have you for a very long time." He whispered, "Well for as long as you'll let me have you."

"I don't plan on running away." Hannah said, "I love you."

"I love you too." Remus smiled, "How can I not love someone so sexy."

She hit him playfully on the arm and kissed him on the cheek.

"Unchained Melody." She said suddenly

"What?"

"The song, I couldn't remember what song it was, and I just remembered, it's Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers."

"As always, your extensive knowledge of Muggle Songs amazes me." Remus chuckled, "Although why play a love song at Halloween?"

"Dumbledore."

Remus looked at her

"Well their playing Wake Me Up When September Ends at some point."

"How do you know?"

"I have sources." Said Hannah simply, "And you are not getting out of dancing for that one."

- - - - -- -

"You okay babe?" Cian asked, spinning her, "You seem distant."

"I'm fine." Carolyn said for about the twentieth time that night.

"You want a drink baby?"

"Sure." She said

She went to sit down and sat next to Snape as there were only two seats left unoccupied.

"Pretend to threaten me." She whispered to him, "Grab me or something."

He nodded, he made it look like he was shouting at her and then grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her onto the Dance floor.

"Look as if your not enjoying yourself."

"Now that is hard." However she did put on as face that did look like she thoroughly hating being with him. She could see people staring, but they thought he had something on her - it looked like he really was threatening her. She could see her friends looking quite taken aback apart from Clare who had a smile on he face.

"He is driving me insane!" She muttered, "He keeps calling me baby or babe. I don't even think he knows my name."

"Why exactly did you ask me to dance with you?"

"To be honest I don't really know." She answered, "Go to kiss me at the end of the song and if I hurt you I'm sorry."

He had a look on his face that looked extremely evil but Carolyn knew better. In that moment though, she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time, she felt love.


	33. Halloween Part 3

As the song finished, Snape leant in and kisssed Carolyn softly on the lips. She wanted to kiss him back desperatly but knew that she couldn't, not in the middle of a ball in which nearly all of 7th year were present. She pulled back and slapped him across the face. No-one cared that she slapped him, although they did have amused looks on their faces.

"Sorry." She mouthed, turned and walked away, sitting down next to Clare who had a grin on her face.

"Nice play acting." she whispered to Carolyn, "Looked very real."

"Thank you." Carolyn responded, "Shame I have to like a guy no-one approves of."

"You getting back with him?" Clare asked

"I dunno, I want to but I don't know I can."

Before Clare could respond Cian was standing there looking furious at Carolyn.

"Why were you dancing with him? and why did you kiss him?"

"You ever heard of threats!" Carolyn retorted, "Oh and if you want to dance with me, you'll have to tell me my name."

"Rachel?"

"It's Carolyn!" She fumed, "Now go find some other girl to fawn over!"

"Why is it," Carolyn asked, turning to Clare, "That we are the only people who can't seem to keep hold of guys?"

* * *

"Well that was interesting." Lily giggled

"You're friends really need to chose their dates carefully." Sirius stated, "And why on earth did Carolyn agree to dance with _Snivellous?"_

"Your guess is as good as mine, but it was wierd, I'm sure I saw her apologise to him when she slapped him."

Sirius snorted

"Now that I doubt."

Lily smiled, she knew she had probably imagined it, like Carolyn would ever apologise to Snape for hitting him.

"I hate this song." Sirius mumbled, "It sounds depressing."

Lily smiled, they were dancing to a slow song neither of them had heard before and Sirius had just decided that during the first line of the song that he hated it. Lily wasn't sure whiether she liked it or not but the way she saw it - she wasn't there for the music, just there to have a good time and to be with Sirius and she told him this. He just smiled at her and kissed her passionatly . She was beautiful and she was his. Lily was the first girl he had gone out with for longer than a week and she was the first girl he hadn't taken advantage of, girls were willing to sleep with him and he didn't have to live with the consequences of his actions by having one night stands but with Lily it was different - just being with her and dancing with her made him feel complete. She made him feel loved, for the first time in his life, he'd felt love from someone else.

"You're beautiful you know."

"So you keep telling me." Lily said smiling, "Although if you're not careful a girl could either think you're up to something or get used to you calling her beautiful."

"Well get used to it, 'cause there are no hidden surprises." Sirius said

"I don't deserve a guy like you." Lily whispered, "You're too good to me."

* * *

"I can't believe he kissed her." Hannah said, looking disgusted, "I mean, it's just wrong and sick."

Remus chuckled slightly at what she had just said

"You sound just like the people who annoy you so much." Remus commented, "I'E the people who still say _we_ are wrong for each other, that I'm not right for you, even though I have to agree with them there."

Hannah glared at him, she hated it when he put himself down over that, but she realised what she had just said was true, she did sound like all those people who slated them - well Remus more than her but it was still the same. She hated it when he said that he wasn't right for her, she had always told him that his lycanthropy couldn't be helped and that she didn't care, she never had cared about the fact that he was a werewolf. She used to tell him that he wasn't the only one with monthly problems, but she gave up reasoning with him a long time ago, he'd never listen so she just left it. She kissed him tenderly on the lips, not wanting it to end but knowing it would.

"I'd make sure you never listen to me, Lily, Carolyn or Clare again, and by that I mean you, Sirius and James, you three look ridiculous."

"Oh thanks!"

"I'm serious, I don't know why you ever listened to us in the first place."

"Because we trusted you." Remus answered, "Although now I'm not so sure on whiether or not I want to trust you lot anymore."

Hannah looked slightly hurt but then laughed

"Cheeky bastard."

* * *

James was staring at Rachel, he had been for several moments and it was beginning to tick her off, however she wasn't going to stay mad at him for long, but he didn't know that.

"What are you meant to be anyway?" She asked, "Because no offence but it looks as if four certain girls chose your outfits."

James glared at her and she couldn't help but giggle at the look on his face.

"The Three Muskateers." He answered, "And at this moment in time I'm ready to curse anyone who mocks me and Carolyn, Clare, Hannah and Lily."

"Curse my friends, and you'll be the one hanging upside down." Rachel smiled sweetly, "And I'll be the one threatening to take off your underpants."

James looked at her for a moment and realised she was serious. Rachel saw the look of terror in his eyes and smiled satisfied.

'Damn I love her.' James thought, 'I don't know how she's making me feel like this, I've never felt like this with a girl.'

He spun her around in time with the music and as it slowed, he slowly dipped her towards the floor and back up again. Rachel gazed into his hazel eyes and they gave away something that they were never intended to, they showed his true desires and his emotions. Just by looking into his eyes, she saw something that she never expected, she saw that he actually had a heart and he actually cared if he hurt someone. Something he never showed when he was walking around school. From what she had seen over the years both him and Sirius seemed to get girls, toy with them and them throw them away. Sure Rachel had been going out with him for a few weeks, or at least that was how it had seemed but she had never seen this part of him in that space of time, he was no longer the egotistical prick people thought he was, he had a heart.

* * *

That night ended how almost everyone wanted. Lily had gotten Sirius to dance with her even though he had swore that he would never dance in public, Carolyn found hat she was looking for in an unlikely person, Hannah got what she wanted off Remus **(you'll have to work out for yourselves what that is), **Rachel was officially with James, there was only Clare who didn't have what she wanted but she didn't care she had enjoyed the night even if it had been spoiled by a stuck up Slytherin, but she had goten a dance with a cute Ravenclaw who was in her Charms class.

* * *

**This was not meant to be this long, but I got a serious case of writers block at the end of the last bit, I had everything apart from the top bit - that and I forgot I hadn't added in James and Rachel which is why it's longer than the other bits. Hope you enjoyed. Please R+R.**


	34. Finding out the Truth

**Little note here about a certain character (Snape), I'm making it so he isn't how he is in the book. Granted he still has the greasy hair but apart from that he is sorta good looking but still a greasy haired git with no friends**

* * *

Weeks passed, and it was soon near the end of November, something that brought a secret and scares. Everyone kept wondering where Carolyn was sneaking off to all the time, it was only Clare who knew where she was going and who she was going to see, no-one asked her about it because they knew they wouldn't get a straight answer out of her, just a short "It's none of your business." or "Nowhere.". They were tempted to look at the Marauders map but it felt like they were spying on her so they decided against it. But on this particualar morning they were about to find out where she was disappearing to.

They were eating breakfast when the post came. Lily saw Carolyn go extremly pale when and owl dropped a letter by her plate - it was off her mother. The six of them looked at her as she opened it, they saw fear in her eyes when she was reading it. Carolyn quickly stuffed the letter in her pocket and looked over at the Slytherin table and caught the eye of the person she wanted. He could see the look on her face and he nodded. She quickly got up from the table and walked out so not to look suspicious. The others looked slightly confused but when Clare saw who got up from the Slytherin table she realised what was going on.

"Wonder what's wrong with her." Lily said, "She looks freaked out about something."

"She's just got a letter from her mother." Clare answered, "And I think I know what it's about, and before you ask I can't say, just in case I'm wrong."

* * *

"Caz!" a voice shouted, She turned around and looked at the person standing there, tears in her eyes

"What's wrong?"

"She's ill." Carolyn whispered, "Mum won't tell me what's wrong though, all I know is that she's in St Mungo's."

He took her in his arms and held her close, she cried into his shoulder, she didn't want to leave his arms, it was the one place she felt safe. He took her into an empty classroom so that no-one saw them together, he didn't want to tarnish her reputation by being seen with him - by being seen with a certain Severus Snape.

"Shush baby, it's okay." He whispered, "She'll be fine. I know it."

"I just want to see my daughter, Sev." She sobbed, "I'm gonna see Dumbledore later and ask if I can go and see her."

"Promise you'll tell me how she is."

She looked up and him and whispered

"Come with me."

"What about your mum?" He asked, "Thought she said she'd kill whoever got you pregnant."

She just looked at him but eventually said

"'Cept my mother can't stop you from seeing your daughter."

Carolyn looked at him intently, she knew she shouldn't want to but all she wanted to do was kiss him and to be with him again. She cared about him more than she let on, she wanted to give them another go, not caring about what people said. She wanted to get back with him partly because of thier daughter but it was more the fact that she still loved him, Halloween had made he realise it.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, it's stupid really." Carolyn said, _'Why would he want me back?'_ she asked herself _'I broke his heart for goodness sake.'_

"Well if it's so stupid, tell me."

"I was thinking that maybe we could give us another chance.

Snape didn't say anything, he was waiting for what she was going to add.

"I still love you." She added, "it just took me three years to realise it. When I saw you I felt something I hadn't felt since fourth year and then when Cian kept calling me 'baby' I realised that you're the only peron I've ever let call me 'baby'."

Snape pulled her in and kissed her, (not that either of them realised it at first) She found herself kissing him back, much to the horror of her friends who had just walked past.

* * *

"And this is why I said not to use the Marauders Map to look for her!" Clare said

"What is she playing at?" Lily asked dumbstruck, "Of all the people she had to kiss, why did it have to be _him?"_

They all looked at Clare, they knew that she knew something, but didn't know what she was hiding.

"Spill!"

Clare shook her head, she didn't know what to tell them, but it couldn't be the whole truth.

"I promised i wouldn't"

"Clare we're your friends." Lily and Hannah snapped, "You could at least tell us if they're going out."

"They used to, I dunno if they are now but I think so." Clare replied defeated, "You remember that thing ages ago when we saw..."

Lily and Hannah nodded.

"Well she wasn't lying when she said what she said."

There was silence when Clare said those words, the Marauders looked confused but Lily and Hannah knew what she meant and didnt want to believe it.

"Wait a minute, I just realised something Carolyn _wasn't_ sixteen when that happened, I remember that outfit." Hannah said, "How old was she, Clare?"

"14."

"WHAT?"

"What are you three talking about?"

"Nothing!" the three girl responded

_

* * *

_

Later on they decided to ask her about it, she admited that she was going out with him but she didn't tell them anything other than that. When she was leaving the girl's dormitory, Lily and Hannah refuse to talk to her, they were angry that she'd lied to them, after an argument Hannah had stormed out and Carolyn was packing a bag because she was going to St Mungo's. As she left, Lily glared at her, still angry with her but she noticed that she dropped something. She picked it up and read what it said

_'I've had to take Alafair to St Mungo's because she's ill but don't worry.'_

"Clare?"

"Yeah?"

"Who's Alafair?"

There was a pause an then Clare said

"It's her sister."

"Carolyn don't have a sister." Lily replied, "Who is she Clare?"

Clare emerged from the curtain with a look on her face that Lily had never seen before.

"If I tell you then you've got to promise not to tell anyone - not Sirius, not Hannah, no-one."

"Don't tell me what?" Hannah asked, leaning against the doorframe

"Close the door and I'll tell you." Clare hissed, "But you can't breathe a word of this to anyone, especially not Remus, Rachel or Sirius."

"Okay." They promised, "Now spill!"

Clare breathed deeply

"Alafair's her daughter." Clare explained

Both Lily and Hannah stood there speechless

"Wouldn't that make Snape the father?" Lily asked

Clare nodded, still looking at the floor

"Why didn't she say anything?"

"She didn't want you judging her." Clare said, "She didn't even tell her mum until after Alafair was born."

"Oh my God." Hannah whispered, "Why would she think we'd judge her?" We're her friends."

"I think today kinda shows why she didn't, you freaked out at her when you found out about her and Severus."

"How come you knew?" Lily asked

"It could have been either one of us three, basically whoever was in the dorm at the time and it was me in there when she was scared that

she was pregnant. She didn't want anyone else to know."

"That's why she flipped after our Defense OWL when James and Sirius cursed him and tried to remove his underwear." Lily said slowly,

"If she hadn't cursed James then he probably would have taken Snape's underpants off."

"I wonder how she'd have reacted if she knew that Sirius nearly killed him." Hannah said

"He what!"

"Forget I mentioned it after I tell you, but Sirius tried to kill him, he told him that if he followed Remus then he's find out about where he went every month and James saved his life."

"Damn I could kill him!" Lily shrieked

"What did I say about forgetting?"

"Didn't you ever wonder why Carolyn was so protective over Snape after 4th year?"

"Well yeah, but I thought I was imagining it." Lily laughed, "Just like I thought I imagined her apologising to him at the ball. I mean hello, it's Snape!"

* * *

He could feel her shivering in his arms, he took of his robes - leaving him in a T-shirt and jeans, he wrapped his robes around her, pulling her closer to him

"Thanks." She smiled, _'Damn I missed just being in his arms.'_

"Just remember to give them back." He said, "Otherwise people will ask questions."

"Well I'm hardly goig to keep them am I?" Carolyn teased, "They're Slytherin!"

Snape laughed

"They know about us, y'know." She said, "I told them we were going out again, 'cause they saw us kissing."

"Did you say anythnig else?"

"No, Clare had already told them stuff anyways, like we used to go out and that I wasn't lying when said what I said."

"What _did_ you say?"

"Ages ago when Lily found out something, she accused Hannah of lying so we were made to show each other a memory at random from our past and they just happened to see the one between me and you in the Room of Requirement."

"You're kidding?"

Carolyn shook her head

"Not that they saw much, just me telling you I loved you, it grossed them out a bit."

Snape chuckled.

"What did you say to them?"

"That they now knew why I regretted it so much, although they think I was sixteen when it happened."

He decided to change the subject and asked her

"Want some chocolate?"

She nodded and he took some out of his robes and handed it to her, she looked at it and said

"Where did you get this? Honeydukes stopped selling this years ago, I've been trying to find it."

"So that's why I got sent a box of it." Snape said, "I was wondering why I ordered it, especially since it tastes disgusting!"

He looked at her and laughed, she looked at his curiously.

"What?"

"You got chocolate, right there." He pointed to her nose, wiped it off and she licked his finger. She giggled at his expression and planted a kiss on his lips. The carriage pulled up outside St Mungo's and they got out, once they were inside and found the desk, the woman looked at them suspiciously

"Can I help you?" She yawned

"Can you tell me what room my daughter's in please?" Carolyn asked, "Alafair Sharpe."

The nurse looked through the records

"Children's ward. Room 45."

They walked to the ward in silence, looking for the room, but Carolyn spotted her mother walking out of a room and walked towards her. She tried to stay calm but it was hard when she was in the same space as her mother, all she ever did was critisise how she looked after her own daughter (when she was at home anyway), she was glad that after July she could never see her mother again, she'd hated her ever since her father had left - she blamed her mother and had never forgiven her for it.

"What are you doing here?" Her mother asked, "And who is _he_?"

"To see my daughter." Carolyn answered cooly, "And this is Severus, her father!"

Carolyn could see this had made her mother angry so she turned to Snape and said

"Go in, before my mother kills you."

"She's asleep." Her mother snapped

"Doesn't stop him from seeing her!"

Snape went into the room before a fight broke out, he looked at his daughter's sleeping form and stroked her hair. What he didn't expect was his daughter to look up at him.

"Daddy?"

* * *

Clare had decided that as long as Lily and Hannah knew she might as well show them a picture.

"Awww, she's so cute."

"She looks a lot like Carolyn."

"Poor thing has Snape's eyes."

"You do realise that Caz is gonna make us be nice to him." Lily said

"Nooooooo!" Hannah groaned, "Anything but that!"

Clare laughed and said

"Let's play truth or dare."

"The three of us?"

"No, we'll get the guys involved as well."

"Oooo that means I have a use for this now!" Hannah grinned rubbing her hands together, producing a vial of liquid

"What's that?"

"Veritaserum." Hannah answered simply, "Stole it when your mum left me on my own for half an hour during a detention."

"What else did you take?"

"This, potion that gets rid of acne, Lily's hair dye and Felix Felicis."

"You stole Felix Felicis?" Clare and Lily mouthed

"Never thought you had it in you!" Lily laughed

"Come on, let have some fun."

The three girls made their way to the boys dormitory,equipt with Veritaserum. When they walked in the boys looked at them curiously, they didn't know what to expect from them. They eyed them suspiciously, not conviced by the innocent looks they had on thier faces.

"What do you want?" Sirius asked

"Nothing much." Lily answered, "Just a game of truth and dare!"

"And to make it interesting we havemy secret stash of Veritaserum."

"You have Veritaserum?"

"Yeah, as well as a few other potions I nicked." Hannah said, "Now lets play!"

"But." Clare added, "No questions about Carolyn or Rachel because she isn't here."

"You get one Truth and one Dare each!" Lily added finally

The three Marauders looked at each other and then nodded, they all settled themselves on the floor and started to play

* * *

"Hey baby." Snape smiled, showing a side that he never showed to anyone but Carolyn and Alafair. He lifted her out of the bed and hugged her, not wanting to let her go.

"Where's mummy?"

"She's outside talking to your nan."

"Do I have to go back with her?" Alafair asked, innocence written all over her face, "I don't like her. She's mean!"

"'Fraid so hun." He said, rocking her slightly, "Only until July though."

"But that's - "

"8 months."

She looked like she wanted to cry, her bottom lip quivering.

"I wanna go with you."

Snape stroked her hair soothingly, he took out a bar of chocolate and a minature bottle of butterbeer.

"Want some?"

Alafair looked at what he was holding, looked up at him with curiousity and said

"Nanna says I'm not allowed chocolate."

Snape looked at her for a moment, not knowing what to say but smiled slightly after a bit and responded

"Well I'm your dad and I say you can have some." He smiled at the joy in her eyes "And you can't tell your nan I gave you this either." pointing to the butterbeer

She nodded and took a piece of the chocolate and bit into it, Snape laughed at the look on his daughter's face, the pleasure that a small piece of chocolate gave her. He let her have a bit of Butterbeer. Snape heard the door slam open and heard the rest of what appeared to be a very heated conversation between Carolyn and her mother.

"HOW DARE YOU GIVE HER THAT!" Mrs Sharpe yelled, "SHE CAN'T EAT THAT! YOU'RE GIVING HER BUTTERBEER?"

Alafair looked frightened, she hung tightly to Snape.

"SHUT UP!" Carolyn screamed, "HOW DARE YOU! He can give her whatever he wants, she's his daughter - not yours! So what if he's giving her chocolate or Butterbeer. Dad gave me that stuff from when I was a few months old!"

"Yeah, and look how you turned out!" Her mother sneered

"GET OUT!" Carolyn fumed, "How dare you critise our parenting when it's because of you I've turned out the way I have! It's your fault dad left and it'syour fault I've had a depressed childhood!I don't want you near here, near me or my family ever again!"

It was hard to tell exactly who's face showed more hate. Mrs Sharpe slapped Carolyn hard across the face and stalked out of the room. Carolyn stood there for a moment, not quite believeing she had finally told her mother to get out of her life.

"I'm gonna go and phone my mum." Snape said, "I'll get her to look after her for a while. She's always complaining that she never gets to see Alafair enough."

Carolyn smiled at him and took Alafair into her arms as he left. She looked at her daughter and kissed the top ofher head. She may not be the best mother in the world, leaving her daughter for 10 months but she tried her best to look after her when she was with her.

* * *

Sirius went first, and they decided to make it interesting by using an empty bottle to decide who gave him the question or dare. He spun the bottle and it landed on Hannah.

"Dare."

Hannah thought for a moment

"Kiss the person who the bottle lands on next."

Hannah spun the bottle and it landed on her again

"No way!"

"Is there anyway I can get out of this dare?" Siirus begged

"NO!"

Sirius groaned but he had an idea and gave his ister a quick peck on the cheek.

"That's cheating!" Lily said

"No-one specified what type of kiss."

Hannah laughed

"You're right, I didn't"

The bottle was spun again. It landed on Lily

"Truth."

"Chicken!"

Hannah handed her the Veritaserum and she drank a bit. Lily spun the bottle and it landed on James, who grinned

"Give us one thing you hate about Sirius."

"That he never told me he tried to kill Snape, well and the fact that he actually tried to kill him."

Sirius looked at her, stunned - he didn't know how she knew about that but he couldn't believe that she knew.

"How do you know that?"

"I told her!" Hannah said, before Lily could open her mouth. "Not intentionally mind, but I did, now lets get on with the game - we can sort this out later."

Lily spun the bottle and it landed on Hannah, Hannah spun the bottle and it landed on Clare

"I choose Truth."

She took a drink of the Veritaserum.

"What's it like knowing that you're one of the only virgin's in the year?"

"Well since I'm not a virgin I can't answer that."

Lily and Clare looked at each other, and burst out laughing, to which Hannah joined in after a few seconds.

"Damn this is a good night for secrets." Lily said, "How many is it now? Three or four?"

"Think it's four."

Hannah spun the bottle and it landed on Clare. She spun the bottle and it landed on Remus.

"Truth."

"What is it with you girls and Truth?"

Clare drank some Veritaserum.

"What secrets have you found out tonight?"

"That Sirius tried to kill Severus and that Hannah ain't a virgin."

"Since when have you been on first name terms with Snivellus?" James and Sirius asked

"Excuse me, only one question." Lily said and Clare smiled satifactorily

Clare spun the bottle before any arguments broke out. It landed on James.

"Dare."

He spun the bottle and it landed on Sirius.

"I dare you to kiss Clare - with tongues."

* * *

Carolyn looked as if she wanted to cry, the nurse had come in and explained why Alafair was there and what was wrong with her, her daughter was ill because her mother hadbeen feeding her stuff she described as rabbit food. It made her blood boil, her mother had critisised her parenting yet she was happy to let her granddaughter eat stuff like that and see her suffer. She rocked Alafair in her arms, not noticing Snape and his mother walk into the room.

"Where's my favourite little girl?" Mrs Snape asked

"Nanny." Alafair's face lit up and she jumped out of her mother's arms to give her a hug. Snape could see his mother's look of concern when she picked up her up.

"What's she been eating?" She asked, "The poor girl is nearly all skin and bones."

"My mother's been feeding her rabbit food!" Carolyn sighed

Mrs Snape looked appauled

"You cannot feed a two year old with just health food, she needs more." She saw the chocolate wrapper in Alafair's hand "Who gave her the chocolate?"

"I did." Snape said, "That's partly what caused all this."

She just nodded her head

"When's she allowed to go home?"

"I can ask if I can take her tonight." Carolyn, "I don't want to leave her here overnight, this place scares the hell out of me."

Carolyn found a nurse and practically begged her to let her take her daughter out of the hospital, she agreed but with the condition that it was Snape's mother who looked after Alafair. His mother had already said she wanted to look after her and was letting them stay for the weekend (**it's a Friday night). **Carolyn picked her daughter up and carry her out of the hospital, she'd fallen asleep in her arms as they walked out and climbed into a taxi. Carolyn not wanting to let her go.


	35. Teachers

Very soon it was nearly time for the Christmas Holidays. Hannah, Remus, Carolyn, Rachel and James had all decided to go home for Christmas. It was a week before the holidays and Dumbledore had just announced that there was going to be a new Potions teacher as Clare's mother had been fired for incompetence. The new teacher had been introduced as Professor Java, he looked quite young but he had to be about 40. He was going to be teaching for the last week of the term and then full time after Christmas. Everyone was looking forward to his class but as soon as they arrived they quickly changed their minds. All of the desks had been moved around - it was now two to a table and the biggest shock was yet to come. New potions partners.

"Now class." Professor Java began, "I am going to let you all choose your own Potions partners except for Miss Caldwell and Mr Snape, I would like you two to work together as I have heard that you two are top of the year."

They all looked at each other quite surprised. The girls laughed at the looks on the Marauders faces. They didn't care about new partners but the boys obviously did.

"I can't believe you're stealing my Potions partner." Carolyn said to Hannah but grinning.

"It's not my fault I'm brilliant at Potions, it's such a curse." There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice. She turned to Remus and whispered "Don't worry I won't get up to any mischief."

"Partners people!"

Hannah and Snape were moved to a bench on the opposite side of the class while Clare and Carolyn and James and Remus paired up. There was a tense atmosphere due to the new pairings and the Marauders attempting to lip read what Hannah and Snape were saying.

"Anyone would think you didn't trust your fiancée Remus." Lily teased

"It's not her I don't trust." He muttered

Carolyn hit him across the head

"You might not trust him but I do."

The marauders muttered to themselves and went back to lip reading

* * *

"I'm getting the feeling you don't want to work with me." Snape said 

"Caz is making me be nice to you." Hannah responded

"Likewise." He smiled, "Like I'd cross you anyway, you'd probably poison me."

Hannah grinned at that comment - he was scared of her and he was the last person who she had expected to be scared of her.

"Damn, a Slytherin's scared of me." She giggled, "And while we're on that subject of me poisoning you. Lets get a few things straight.

A. You can't lay a finger on Remus

B. You can't mess Carolyn around

C. Annoy me or tell me what to do

Do any of the above and I will poison you."

"You just said Lupin, what about the other three?"

"By all means curse Sirius and James because they tried to kill you and they deserve it for that and even though Sirius is my brother, I'll never forgive him for it. Oh and you can kill Peter for all I care, he's a dirty little rodent."

"Damn, you learn new things every day." Snape laughed, "I swear I won't do any of the things you mentioned because I know for a fact you would poison me, you're the only person who can poison me."

"I'm good at Potions and nothing else, big deal."

"That's not true, come off it you're smart, pretty, good at almost everything when you put your mind to it, you fly better than anyone else I know and you were Quidditch Captain. Oh and you're the only person in the history of Hogwarts to ever get an Outstanding in their Potions OWL for a NEWT potion."

"Did you just complement me? Severus Snape actually complemented me?" Hannah asked, looking quite shocked, "And you called me pretty?"

"Well, you are, You, Lily, Clare and Rachel."

"What about Caz?"

"Caz ain't pretty." Hannah looked at him, "She's beautiful."

"How do you know about that potion anyway?" She asked, cutting up a random ingredient

"Well ... when I went in to do mine, I heard them talking about it saying that this girl was the only person ever to do this particular potion at OWL level and it was obvious that it was you. You're the best, even better than me."

* * *

"What they saying?" Remus asked 

"Hannah just gave him permission to curse me and James." Sirius said, "But not you, she said we deserve it because of the prank we pulled on him. Threats about poisoning, Snivellus just complemented her - he called her pretty."

"He's hitting on my fiancée." Remus looked angry and there was a hint of jealousy there.

"He actually said she was pretty, as well as Lily, Claz and Rachel and he called me beautiful." Carolyn said, rolling her eyes, "He said that she's the best at Potions in the entire school, even better than him. He mentioned her being clever, being good at Quidditch and her being Quidditch Captain at one point. He is not hitting on her!"

"And in regards to her giving him permission to curse you, she's right you do deserve it. You coulda killed him, and ended up in Azkaban and you coulda got Remus killed in the process." Lily stated, "You're forgetting that they kill certain people if they are deemed dangerous - IE if they kill someone!"

"Did we mention that we regret doing it?" Sirius asked, "Hannah is still making both me and James pay for it! Trust me being on the end of her curses and her potions is enough torture for anyone."

"And I got the scars to prove it!" James added

"Yet she helped you become what you are." Lily and Clare pointed out, "A dog and a stag."

"Shush!" They hissed, "Tell the whole world why don't you?"

"Will you six get on with your Potions?" Professor Java asked as he walked past, "And Mr Black, please go and change your roots, they need to be evenly sliced, not evenly diced."

Sirius blushed slightly and went to get some new roots, muttering as he went along. As he walked past he went to Hannah and said

"Hope you're enjoying your little conversation."

"Not as much as I'm enjoying the feeling of being spied on!" Hannah retorted "Anyone would think you don't trust me."

Sirius glared at her and walked away.

"Stupid git!" She muttered as she poured her roots into the cauldron, "Who does he think he is spying on me? Granted I know he doesn't trust you, but surely he can give me some credit and trust Carolyn's judgement on you. How come you two are still keeping it a secret?"

"Which? Us or the other thing?" Snape asked

"You two."

"Oh come on, you saw how people treated me after the Halloween ball - I was attacked non stop for two weeks because I kissed her. Imagine what they'd do if they knew I was going out with her or worse if they knew about Alafair. Guys want to attack Black, Lupin and Potter because of who they're going out with but they're scared of you three because they know what will happen if they do attack them. I know a lot about you lot from gossip, ex's and what Carolyn's told me. You for example, a lot of the guys you dated in first and second year claim to have slept with you plus quite a few Slytherin's claim this as well, they think you're a whore and Halloween didn't help that. Some people still believe that you're having an affair with Black, they think you're lying about him being your brother. You were one of the only virgin's in the year at the start of the term, you gave up being Quidditch Captain because you couldn't hack it and thought Potter was doing a better job than you but there are people who think you only gave it to him because you bedded him. Stuff like that."

"Damn!" Hannah looked at him wide-eyed "You should be a PI. But that is some sick and twisted stuff! It's one thing to say I sleep around, it's another to say it's with Sirius but it's a whole new playing field to say I've done it with James Potter! I mean ewww, that's sick! Although at least I ain't been rumoured to have had Peter. Now that is sick. But if people think I'm a whore then why do guys still fancy me?"

"It's mostly girls jealous of you."

Hannah nodded

"And in response to what you said. You're a slimy haired git with no personality, you have hardly any friends, you lost your virginity when you were 14, you have a two year old "sister", you're secretly dating one of the most wanted girls in the school and your like me blood wise."

"How do you know that?" Snape asked, "There's only Caz who knows that."

"I've always known." Hannah said, shrugging "Well, suspected. It's the way you act, when you call people 'mudblood'" she spat the last word out, "You have this apologetic look in your eyes, like you don't mean it. That and your Potion's book kinda gives it away - "The Half Blood Prince?""

"You can't tell anyone." Snape said, he'd stopped stirring the potion at this point "Seriously Hannah, you can't."

"Like I would." Hannah replied, "I'm not that stupid. I'm already keeping secrets as it is so I might as well have another one on top of it."

"Thanks." He smiled

"No problem." Hannah responded, "Oh and tomorrow make sure you avoid James and Sirius at all costs, because they're planning a little one sided duel as it were."

* * *

The Marauders looked at each other in disgust. They couldn't believe what they were seeing - Hannah being friendly to Snape, especially when last week she had said she hated him. Remus had jealousy written all over his face and his potion was showing it as well, Sirius was annoyed that his sister had snapped at him the way she had, for spying on her, even though he had done it before. James had never expected her to even give Snape the time of day, well no one really gave Snape the time of day except for Carolyn and Clare but they were the only ones. 

"Start tidying things away now class whilst I come around and mark your potions." Java said

The whole class started buzzing with noise as they tidied away and Professor Java came around to mark the potions.

"Mr Black and Miss Evans, good attempt - 7/10"

"Mr Lupin and Mr Potter, could be better - 4/10"

"Miss Sharpe and Miss Wells , average - 6/10"

"Miss Caldwell, Mr Snape, Excellent - 10/10"

The bell rang and Hannah walked over to rejoin her friends, and she went to kiss Remus but he pulled away.

"Fine!" She snapped, "Don't even talk to me."

She stormed out of the classroom and went straight for the Gryffindor Tower. They all looked at Remus who had a look of guilt on his face. Jealousy had got the better of him, and it had made Hannah mad at him.

"You idiot." Lily said, "That's what happens when silly boys do silly things, like get jealous over a conversation!"

"Come on." Carolyn said, "Lets get something to eat."

"You have some major grovelling to do now mate." Sirius said to his friend

"Don't you think I know that?" Remus snapped, and walked out, first going to the Great Hall to get some food and then to the common room. He said the password (namtoelsi) and saw Hannah sitting by the fire crying.

"Han?"

"Leave me alone Remus!" She yelled

"I come with gifts."

She looked up at him, a look of pure anger in her eyes. He sat down in a chair next to her but she looked away from him.

"You think food and pumpkin juice is gonna make me feel better?"

"I'm sorry." He whispered, "Really I am, I overreacted, I shouldn't have done what I did and I shouldn't have felt jealous of Snape and I shouldn't have spied on you and tried to see what you were up to. I was an idiot."

"Yeah, you were." Hannah responded, "I can't believe you spied on me, I thought you trusted me! I'm meant to be marrying you but if you don't trust me then..."

"I do trust you." He said quickly, "Jealousy got the better of me."

"You were jealous of Snape?" Hannah asked, "Of all the people you were jealous of, why him?"

"I don't know." He admitted, "Forgive me?"

"Maybe." She answered

Remus leaned over and started tickling her and she shrieked with laughter. She knew he was using it to his advantage because he knew she always gave in when she was tickled.

"Alright, alright." She giggled, "I forgive you."

Remus had a satisfied look on his face and kissed her softly.

* * *

"What do you thinks gonna happen?" Clare asked 

"Oh you know Hannah, she never stays mad at him for longer than five minutes. Any money they'll have kissed and made up by the end of dinner."

"Five galleons says she won't have." Sirius and Carolyn said.

"You're on." Lily said, "Because I know that this is a bet I'm gonna win."

She took a bite of her sandwich, just as Sirius said

"What makes you so sure?"

"Bequase I know 'er bwetter dan you wot." Lily answered through a mouthful of food

"In English please!"

Lily swallowed and repeated

"Because I know her better than you lot."

"Yet I've lived with her since I was 6." Sirius said, "I think I know my own sister by now."

"Oh you may know her Sirius." The girls said, "But that doesn't mean you know her. Trust us on that. The one person who knows her better than us, will be begging for forgiveness right about now."

Lily turned to Carolyn and said

"I still want to know why you're still being really secretive. It's not as if you gotta hide it from us anymore."

"Because." Carolyn answered, "He'll get attacked again and then there is the small matter of you know."

"Small matter of what?" James and Sirius asked (they don't know that Carolyn has a daughter)

"None of your business!" The girls said and they immediately got into a conversation about Carolyn having to stop all the secrecy. The boys caught snippets of their conversation but not enough to work out what they were talking about.

"I just have one question." Lily said, "Something I'm amazed Hannah ain't asked yet 'cause ya know what she's like when it comes to this, is he a good kisser?"

That got Sirius' attention. She could see Clare and Carolyn smiling when his head shot up. It was the simple look from Carolyn that told Lily what she wanted to know but to rub it in, she turned to both Sirius and James and said

"She does."

"Why do you want to know if he's a good kisser?" Sirius asked

"Well since it's usually Hannah who asks and she ain't I thought I would." Lily answered

"I'm amazed Hannah hasn't mentioned it actually." Carolyn grinned

"Shame she's commited herself to someone for the last four years really, when she could have been enjoying playing with guys emotions." Clare laughed

"Unlike you who never commits herself to anyone and never stays with a guy long enough to even know his full name." Lily and Carolyn pointed out

"I like playing the field thank you very much, it's much more fun and anyway you're only in school for a short amount of time, what's the point of keeping hold of a guy when I can let them hang and then drop them?"

They rolled their eyes.

"This makes me glad I have Lily." Sirius said

"And that I got Rachel." James added

"It's Remus I feel sorry for." Sirius went on, "Hannah's the nuts one out of you lot and that's saying something."

"Cheeky little so and so." Lily muttered

"And she is not the nuts one, trust me!" Clare said

They got up and left for the Common Room, all they wanted to do was just collapse by the fire in peace but they knew it would never happen. It seemed to take an age to get to the Common Room but when they got there and went inside, they found they couldn't even sit down in the Common Room because everyone was there talking and doing homework, so begrudgingly they all made their way to the boy's dormitory but found the door locked. Sirius and James tried a number of spells to try and get in but it wouldn't open. It was unlocked after all the spells because the lock had clicked but it refused to open.

"Open the bloody door Remus!" James yelled

_"Give me one reason why he should?"_

"Well at least we know that their talking." Carolyn said

"Either that or their torturing each other." Sirius replied

"Hannah if you don't open this door I swear you'll regret it!" Lily said threateningly.

"_What you gonna do Lil?"_

"How about share a certain secret that you don't want anyone to know!"

They heard muttering and cursing and the door flung open.

"Knew I'd get my own way." Lily said smirking.

"Kissed and made up have we?" Carolyn asked

"Well I wouldn't be in here if we hadn't." Hannah answered, "Oh and James, remind me never to give you or Peter anything, ever."

"Why?"

"You mean apart from the fact half the school thinks I've had three of the four Marauders."

"You're kidding?"

"Nope."

"I swear I'm gonna kill the person who spreads these rumours." Remus muttered

"They ain't worth the bother Remus." Lily said, she turned to walk to the door but tripped and fell straight into Sirius' arms.

"Anyone would think you don't like letting me go." Lily teased and kissed him. She broke it off for a moment and said to him

"You owe me five galleons." and finished the kiss.


	36. Christmas

Christmas Day came and that left Lily and Sirius alone as Clare had decided to go home at the last minute. They had enjoyed a week and a half away from the others but they did miss the noise, Lily had said it was because they were used to the noise they all made and Sirius had just laughed at the fact it was so quite and out of the ordinary he thought he was going to go crazy. But he was however enjoying the fact that he could kiss Lily anytime he wanted without getting interrupted.

Lily was the first to wake up and at first she was confused because she couldn't remember where she was or why there was someone lying next to her but then she remembered. She nudged Sirius slightly but all she got was a grunt so she shook him and he turned to her, not looking happy at being woken up but then he realised that it was Christmas and he smiled at her.

"Merry Christmas." He whispered

"Merry Christmas to you too." She replied and kissed him

"Do we have to get up?" He murmured against her lips

She nodded slightly

"I wanna open my presents."

"But they're in your dorm." He whined

She laughed at this comment

"Silly mutt, can't live without me for more than five minutes can you?"

He shook his head and gave her the puppy dog eyes, even though he knew they didn't work.

"They don't work on me, you know that. I don't give in easily like your sister does."

Sirius pouted and Lily laughed and had a little flashback in the process.

"You have no idea how much you and Hannah look alike when you pout." Lily said, "Now let me go, I want my presents."

Sirius reluctantly let her go and she got dressed and quickly ran to the girl's dormitory and put a charm on her presents so that she didn't have to carry them. She made her way back to the boy's dormitory and saw Sirius sitting by the window next to a pile of presents. She walked over and put her presents down and sat next ot him on the windowsill.

"You have to open my present last." He said to her

"Okay." She said, slightly confused, "And likewise for you then."

Sirius picked up a present and said

"Betcha this is from Remus."

"What makes you say that?"

"It's a book."

He unwrapped it and it was a book and had a note attached to it.

_You were wrong! Ha ha cause I know you were thinking Remus sent you it but it's from me your loving sister (Laugh at that comment and I'll poison you). I found it over the summer underneath my bed, of all the places I could have found it, it had to be there. And before you say anything I know it's yours anyway but I added to it and don't even criticise my drawing because I know I can't draw but I tried my best. I added to it after we came back. _

_Love you always _

_Hannah _

Sirius opened the book and looked at his drawings, they were just random drawings apart from a few near the end. There was drawings of Hannah, Lily, there was even one of his mother but almost abstract which made him laugh as he looked at it. He flipped to the last page and saw drawings of The Marauders, the girls and one of them altogether. For someone who couldn't draw it was pretty spectacular.

"Did you draw all of these?" Lily asked, flicking through it, "These are amazing."

Sirius nodded.

"Now you have to open a present."

Lily picked up the nearest present, which was from Clare. She had received chocolate frogs, a book to curse and hex pranksters for payback, this made Lily giggle. So did the card that came with it.

_In case Sirius annoys you too much. That and so we can all use it. _

Sirius took one look at it and was scared she was going to use it on him, but she wouldn't let on whether or not she would.

"Can I borrow it sometime?" Sirius asked

"If it involves cursing or hexing people then no!" Lily answered, knowing exactly who the intended target would be "I will not have Carolyn trying to kill you."

Sirius pouted again and Lily hit him playfully. He picked up a rather large present from Remus and James. Joint presents usually meant one thing. One of them hadn't bought a present. He opened it and it contained a Quidditch book on the Tornados, Honeydukes Chocolate, a few Sugar Quills and a pot of invisible ink.

"What am I supposed to do with invisible ink?" Sirius asked

"Use it to write notes!" Lily pointed out

"Oh yeah."

Next Lily opened a present from Carolyn. It was a photo album of the last seven years and it contained pictures of them from each year - including a reel of passport photos from their fourth summer. Lily laughed at the memory in which four of them had tried to squeeze in a booth and have pictures taken, they had done it eventually but the expressions said how squashed it was.

_We've all got one _

Lily smiled, it was something that all of them would treasure.

"You lot look like freaks in that." Sirius commented

"Don't make me use the book on you." Lily responded

Carolyn and Clare also gave Sirius a joint present. A compact mirror and a coupon for free dog treatment. Lily burst out laughing but Sirius looked offended.

"Am I really that vain that I need a compact mirror?"

Lily stroked his hair and said

"Course you're not." She said, "But I think they might be telling you something with the coupon."

Sirius pouted again

"What is the need for all the pouting?" Lily asked curiously

"Feel like it."

"I don't care what you say, I'm opening your present now."

She did. She opened the box to reveal another box. This went on for about five boxes to finally reveal a jewellery box. She opened it and it played a tune and inside was a gold necklace with her name on.

"Oh my god!" She gasped, "Sirius, it's beautiful!"

She kissed him on the cheek but then Sirius pulled her in for a kiss.

* * *

Remus lay in bed with his eyes closed. He didn't want to get up, he was enjoying the warmth of his bed too much. He felt Hannah next to him, her head leant on his chest. He moved her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. 

"I love you." He whispered

She stirred and lifted her head slightly

"Love you too." And she smiled

He just looked at her for a few moments and without meaning to, said

"Why do you have to be so beautiful?"

"'Cause I am." Hannah said teasingly "Oh my god that sounded so vain."

"Which you're anything but."

"Thank you." She said, "I think."

Remus chuckled

"Promise me you'll never change." Hannah whispered to him. "That you'll still be the same loveable guy and still have the same sense of humour."

"I promise."

"Oh my god, I've only just realised that it's Christmas."

Remus chuckled, he'd forgotten it was Christmas as well but he really didn't want to get out of bed.

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas."

Hannah looked at the alarm clock and it read 11:30. Hannah got out of bed and threw on some clothes, and taking a bar of chocolate from the bedside table, waved it in front of Remus and slowly opened it. She lay flat on her stomach facing him and broke of the first piece and licked it and she knew it was driving him crazy. Hannah knew he wouldn't get up without reason but she knew what she was doing would do the trick. She could see the look on his face whilst she did this and she desperately wanted to laugh. She took a small bite and as she did this, melted chocolate dripped onto the bed. Remus looked horrified, she didn't know if it was because she had dripped chocolate on the bed covers or because she had wasted precious drops of his favourite chocolate.

"I can't take it anymore." He moaned, "Will you quit it if I get up?"

She threw the chocolate bar at him and grinned, she knew he'd give in to her and she knew he couldn't resist the chocolate.

"Sometimes I think you love chocolate more than me." She teased

Remus looked at her with a sly smile.

"How do you know I don't?"

"Because if you did, then you would have attacked me in 5th year."

The night Sirius and James had decided to play that prank on Snape, Hannah had been there, yelling at James to stop Snape, and it wasn't until she mentioned what would happen if it he didn't stop Snape that James came to his senses. She'd followed him to make sure he did stop Snape. It wasn't until they were running out of the tunnel and Snape had seen everything that it happened. Hannah had tripped and twisted her ankle. No one had noticed until they were clear of the Whomping Willow and someone realised Hannah wasn't with them. She couldn't move and out the corner of her eye saw the werewolf running towards her. Half expecting him to attack her, half expecting him to kill her. She hadn't expected him to stop and just stare at her, just looking into her eyes. It wasn't until afterwards that Dumbledore had said that Remus' love for her had saved her life. That even the most dangerous of creatures feel love, that if you love someone so much, the love for that person takes over. Even a usually dangerous creature like a werewolf can have that happen to them.

"Don't remind me." Remus muttered, "I keep having nightmares about that, changing all the time."

"Cry and you'll ruin my Christmas." Hannah said to him, "I hate seeing you cry."

She moved up the bed and kissed him.

"I'd still love you even if you had of attacked me, all I'd have is a share in your curse. Feelings don't just change when something like that happens. It's like Dumbledore said. Love is a powerful thing."

"I'd never have forgiven myself."

"But I would have." Hannah smiled shyly, "Now come on, it's Christmas and I have presents to open."

"Accio presents."

Presents flew and landed on the bed.

"Where's your present?" Hannah asked curiously, looking through the pile.

"In the cupboard."

She looked at him and went to open the cupboard and saw a broomstick.

"You bought me the Comet?" She stared at him, open-mouthed. "Oh my God, I love you so much."

She jumped on the bed and kissed Remus, leaving the remaining presents forgotten about.

* * *

"Sev?" Carolyn said, "Ineed to talk to you about something." 

She felt him tense up.

"What?"

"Last time you said that to me, you broke up with me." Snape answered quietly

"Trust me, I'm not breaking up with you. The opposite."

"Oh."

Carolyn took a breath

"I don't wanna do the secrets thing anymore, I can't do it." She said, "Someone will find out eventually anyway, especially when people notice that the Marauders haven't pranked you lately, they'll think something's up."

Snape laughed slightly

"They'll think I'm sleeping with Hannah." He responded, I swear, for a girl that was a virgin till this term she sure has slept with a lot of people over the years."

"I'm serious here." Carolyn snapped slightly, "I want everyone to know how much I love you and know that I do."

"That'd shut everyone up." He muttered

Carolyn looked at him curiously

"What do you mean?"

"You don't know?" He asked, "I thought I'd told ya. Every year I get people telling me to just die because I'm worthless and no-one cares about me. I've got no friends and my family don't give a damn and I have nothing to live for."

Carolyn looked at him open-mouthed, she didn't know what to say and now he was averting her eyes. She gently touched the side of his face and wiped away a tear that was trickling down the side of his face.

"_I _love you." She whispered, "And so does your mum and Alafair. Trust me, you do have something to live for, you're not worthless. I love you with all my heart and don't forget that. I'll always love you no matter what. I promise."

Snape smiled slightly

"I love you too." He whispered

* * *

"Come on." James said, taking hold of Rachel's hand 

She looked at him curiously. Not sure where he was taking her. He led her out of the house and they walked for a bit up a hill. Rachel looked at him blankly.

"What we doing up here "

"Oh you'll see soon enough." James answered

She shook her head and laughed slightly. James was full of surprises and this was just as wierd as the rest.

Rachel shivered slightly in the cold and felt James slip his arms around her waist and tighten them, she felt his muscles tighten and flex, she let a sigh of delight slip from her lips. James elant in to kiss her but she put a finger to his lips.

"Not until you tell me why we're here." She said

"To watch the sunset." He answered simply

Satisfyed with his answer, she kissed him passionatly. When they broke apart she smiled at him and thety sat down on top of the hill andwatched the sunset, James put his arm around Rachel's shoulders.

"It looks beautiful." She whispered

"Yeah, it does. Doesn't it."

He leant in and kissed her.

* * *

Clare was wishing that she hadn't come home for Christmas. Not only was she cut off from her friends, she wasn't allowed to apparate or floo which she considered to be unfair considering all her friends were either at Hogwarts or at home, she was so desperate that she was even thinking about owling Dumbledore for permission to return but she wouldn't let her mother win. 

She took out her Potions homework and mentally reminded herself to tell the other girls they had to go back to the way it used to be with homework. She found it so much easier just doing a few pieces of homework. Defence and Muggle Studies were so much easier, Arithmacy was okay but hard. She preferred itwhen she only had to do Defence, Muggle Studiesand Arithmacy. Since they hardly ever got Herbology homework, it had been easier then. Now it was just spiralling out of control.

"Damn Potions!" She screamed and threwher ink across the room, only for it to hit wrapping paper off the presents she had opened.

From Lily she had gotten a charm bracelet with a few charms on it. Hannah had gotten her CD of their favourite songs. Carolyn had bought her chocolate like always. The Marauders she guessed probably didn't have a clue what to get her so they gave her 12 galleons and 13 sickles. They would be going to be spent on new hair straighteners as no matter how much magic could do wonders for hair, it could never get her hair perfectly straight. Well, the money would be spent on them once it was converted to muggle money.

"Clare!" A voice called

She didn't answer. Christmas Day and she was stuck in the house with her parents and her sister. What was the point to spending her last Christmas at Hogwarts at home? Then it hit her, it was the last Christmas she would ever be at Hogwarts, after July she wouldn't be going back, somehow that thought just made her more depressed. At least after Hogwarts she'd have her friends but she didn't know that one of her friends would betray her with devastating consequences.


	37. Back To School

Christmas Holidays were over but they brought a new surprise with them. New uniforms. The Ministry had passed a law that said all students must wear uniforms - before it was just optional and no one chose to wear them. The new uniform consisted of a white blouse or shirt, grey trousers for boys and a grey skirt for girls which had to be a certain length below the knee, a tie, white socks and black shoes. Parents thought that this idea was a brilliant one, it was just the students and some teachers that disapproved of the new law.

Sitting in the Gryffindor Common room, the seven friends were having a major discussion in relation to them.

"How can anyone do this?" Lily fumed, "You'd think they'd have brought it in when the new year starts in September but no they have to make us wear them now!"

"I don't see how anyone can pull this off!" Carolyn added, "This uniform is vile, we can't accessorise, and our skirts have to be below the knee. No one and I repeat no one can make this uniform look good."

"I know." Sirius said, "Even I can't make this look good and that's saying something."

Lily turned and grinned at Hannah, as if reading her mind

"I am gonna love this come Monday morning when you have to wear that skirt, it is gonna be hilariously funny."

"Enough about this uniform." said James, "How was everyone's Christmas?"

They got into a conversation about Christmas's which was a welcome break from the uniforms.

"I am lovin' the book you gave me Claz." Lily laughed, "Sirius wanted to use it but I kinda put my foot down on it."

"Why's that?" Everyone asked

"Who would he use it on?" Lily asked, aiming her question at James and Remus

"Ah."

"Yeah," Lily rolled her eyes, "I'd quite like my boyfriend to be in one piece and alive when we leave and not be killed by Carolyn."

Carolyn laughed

"Now why would I kill him? I'd like to stay out of Azkaban."

"Talking of him, how is he?" Hannah asked

"He's fine, although not happy at what I've said." Carolyn answered

"Which is?"

"Not to keep us a secret anymore, that didn't really go down well."

"You're seriously going public?" Lily asked

Sirius and James cut in

"Do you intentionally cut us out of conversations?"

"We are still here you know." Remus added

"Yeah." The girls said, "But you hate the guy we talking about so why add you into the conversation?"

The girls giggled and the Marauders just stared at them. They got into a conversation about Quidditch and who they thought would win the league.

"The Tornados are gonna win it!" James said, "They have been the best team by far so far this season."

"Yeah, but Prongs, it's only January!" Sirius pointed out, "They still have time to slip up. Wimbourne Wasps are gonna do it last game of the season, they've just got that new player haven't they. What's his name again?"

"Ludo Bagman?" James asked

"Yeah, him."

"Neither of them are gonna do it, so why bother arguing?" Remus asked, "Chudley Cannons are the best - live with it!"

Every year they would get into this argument because all three of them supported different teams. For the past three years James had been right but they hoped that this year was different.

"Hannah!" Sirius shouted, "Who do you think is gonna win?"

Hannah rolled her eyes. She always got dragged into the Quidditch argument and it really annoyed her.

"Tornados may have won the last three years but even you know that luck runs in threes, Wimbourne Wasps have that new player, who might I add is very cute." Hannah grinned and the girls giggled again "And Chudley Cannons have no hope of winning, so I don't know why anyone bothers supporting them. My money is on the Wasps and it is not because I fancy the beater."

"Is he a beater?" Sirius asked,

"Don't know, don't care. He's still cute and he got a nice ass as well." Hannah answered

"Looks like you got some competition Moony." James and Sirius joked

"I may fancy him, but no one will ever compare to Remus," Hannah responded and kissed him.

"Anyway Sirius." Clare said, "Girls fantasise all the time, it's a fact of life. Just like the fact that Marauders prank people."

"What's wrong with Chudley Cannons anyway?" Remus asked Hannah

"Everything!" Hannah retorted, "And none of you even argue with me over this because I know more about Quidditch than all you three put together and I'm better than the three of you. And that is a fact!"

The Marauders muttered to themselves in agreement. They weren't going to disagree with her - she was lethal when angry and they needed her to pass Potions so they'd like to stay on her good side.

"Oh I had an idea over Christmas." Lily said suddenly, "I think we should go back to the way we used to do homework because I found it so much easier just doing a few essays than a load of them."

"Yeah, I was thinking that." Clare added

"Same here." Carolyn and Hannah said

"The boys looked confused

"What you lot talking about?"

"We used to do each others homework in effect. I'd do any Charms, Hannah would do Potions, Clare did Defence and Carolyn did History. Basically we'd write it then use a spell that would transfer it onto different pieces of parchment but to the style of that persons writing and ability of the subject. It worked quite well until we stopped doing it because we all had free time when we did that."

"Okaaaay."

"What?" They asked, "It was so much easier doing it that way and we didn't have as much homework to do. Have you any idea how stressful it was doing three essays in one night?"

"Well yeah, cause we had them as well."

"Well too bad, cause we had a plan and it worked. How about we do it but include the guys as well?" Clare asked

They nodded

"Yeah, because that way James can do Transfiguration and Remus can do Arithmacy for us."

"What about me?" Sirius asked, "And what about Muggle Studies?"

"What are you good at that we haven't already mentioned?" Lily answered

"Good point."

"And you can do your own Muggle Studies unless me or Lily decide to help you." Carolyn said

"When's Quidditch start James?" Hannah asked, completly changing the subject

"Next week probably."

"Okay."

They sighed

"I'm gonna miss it here." Remus said sadly

"Yeah, I think we all will." Sirius said, "I mean we spent the best part of seven years here and it's like home to us."

"We made our friends here, and there's so many memories here." Lily and Carolyn said

"I'll never forget anything I've done here - even though we'd all probably like to forget some things." Hannah added

"I say we pull our biggest prank, make our mark so that everyone can remember us and you girls included in this."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." They responded, "It's not like we can get expelled."

They laughed and began to plan what they could do.

"I say we involve Severus." Hannah said

"Why!" The Marauders asked

"Because he knows more about spells to keep things permanent than anyone else also I'll need someone for the Potions part for help since you lot are totally useless when it comes to Potions."

"Hey!"

"It's true!"

"All in favour?"

The girls raised their hands

"Sorry boys, but you're outvoted."

"Do we have to?" Sirius asked

"Yeah." Lily and Hannah said

"What you got against him anyway?" Carolyn asked

"Caz, he's a greasy-haired freak who knows more about the Dark Arts than anyone else in this school and that includes the teachers. Plus he's better at Potions. He sneaks around a lot and has tried to get us expelled on countless number of occasions. He's a bastard."

Carolyn slapped him across the head.

"Don't, not in front of me." She looked at the three Marauders, "Now if you'll excuse me I have a boyfriend to see."

And with that Carolyn left.

"So what are we gonna do then?" Lily asked

"I don't know." James said, "But it's gonna be big and unforgettable."


	38. Untitled

A few weeks passed and students were getting used to the new uniforms - although Lily still laughed at Hannah about it, which resulted in her getting curses thrown at her all the time. It had been an eventful few weeks. First it had been the new uniforms, then it had been Quidditch and the school had finally seen hat Carolyn and Snape were a couple, and the Marauders new prank was coming into action. It wasn't until after the match with Ravenclaw that the big shock came to Gryffindor - Hannah quit the Quidditch team.

* * *

**_Flashback_**

**__**

"What time do you call this?" James asked as Hannah walked onto the pitch for practice. 

"Hello!" Hannah snapped, "Had to go See Java." 

"Yeah, whatever. Let go practice." 

They played four vs three for the first twenty minutes but when it came to shooting practice and Hannah missed a shot. Drake was laughing at her saying she was losing her touch — which made her lose her cool with him. 

"Losing my touch am I?" She screamed, "I missed one! unlike the five penalties you've missed this practice!" 

"You shouldn't be on this team!" Drake retorted, "You got on by screwing the captain, and nothings changed because you're staying on the team because you're screwing the captain." 

The Gryffindor team surrounded them and butted into the argument. 

"That was uncalled for Drake." Oliver said, "Hannah's on the team cause she's got more talent than any of us - you've seen us without her, we fall apart!" 

"I agree with Drake." Romeo responded, "He's got a point, she shouldn't be on this team." 

The whole team started arguing. 

"SHUT UP!" Hannah yelled, "I can't take this anymore. " She turned to James, "I quit!" 

And she stormed off the Quidditch pitch, leaving the team divided. 

**_End flashback_**

* * *

"How long is it to the Valentine Ball?" Lily asked 

"Two weeks." Sirius answered, "Why?" 

"Because I need something to look forward to." Lily answered 

"Just think." Sirius said, "This is our last year and we'll never come back. I've never thought about it till now really." 

Lily laughed and rolled her eyes. She planted a kiss on his cheek and went back to studying her Arithmacy book. 

"Why do you have to study?" Sirius whined, pouting slightly. "It's really,really sunny outside and you're inside studying. Come outside." 

"No!" Lily responded, "We have N.E.W.T.S in a few months and I'm the only person revising." 

"That's not true!" Sirius said defensively, "I've been revising. Sort of." 

Lily scoffed 

"Yeah right." She smiled, "You've been too busy pranking." 

Sirius put on his puppy dog face and Lily groaned. 

"If you stop doing that, I'll come out." Lily said, "You annoy me when you do that." 

Sirius grinned 

"Come on then." 

Lily followed Sirius to the ground but stopped. 

"Sirius you lied to me." Lily said, glaring at him "You said there was sunshine but it's raining." 

"Well it was sunny when I came up." He replied, "Anyway come on." 

"No!" Lily said, "And anyway I don't look good wet." 

Sirius laughed 

"You look good no matter what, Lil, you should know that." 

"Ha!" Lily laughed sarcastically, "I do not look good no matter what!" 

With that Sirius picked her up and ran outside with her, Lily kicking and screaming all the way. 

"Sirius Black if you don't put me down I swear I'll use that book on you." 

"Don't care." He answered and kept on running until he got to the lake. 

"SIRIUS!" Lily screeched, "DON'T YOU DARE THROW ME IN THERE!" 

"Why not?" Sirius asked sweetly, "You look good wet, am just proving it." 

"By throwing me in the la-" She was cut off by the fact he threw her in the lake. 

Once she surfaced, Sirius look quite scared at the look on her face and thought it was best to run but he was too slow in his reaction because Lily caught him. 

"You are _so_ gonna regret that!" She screamed, "You just wait till I get my wand!" 

"You know I love you right?" Sirius said, quite scared, "And that I did it to prove you look beautiful no matter what?" 

"I DON'T CARE!" Lily retorted, "I'm soaking wet and it's raining!" 

She stormed off inside, leaving Sirius to trail behind her. When he got back to the Common room she was sitting by the fire. 

"Lily?" 

"Yes Sirius?" 

"I'm sorry." 

He heard Lily giggle 

"I know." She said, "Now come here." 

Sirius did as he was told and sat in a seat next to her. 

"You're an idiot you know." She smiled at him 

"So you forgive me?" 

"Course I do." 

"Were you really going to use the book on me?" 

"Maybe." 

Sirius put on his face and Lily laughed 

"I just hope that teaches you never to throw me in the lake again." 

"I won't." Sirius promised, "I promise." 

And he kissed her to show he meant it. 


	39. Talent Show

As February ended, the spirits of Gryffindor were at an all time low, so a group of 7th year girls had come up with the idea of a talent contest. 

"Seth!" Lily called, "What's all this your sister is planning?" showing him a flyer she had been given. 

"Not sure." He answered, "But it's tomorrow night. You gonna do it?" 

"I have no clue yet." 

Lily left him and went to find everyone else. 

"You seen this?" 

They looked at it and shook their heads. 

"We have to do this!" Clare said, "Otherwise we'll have learnt a song for nothing." 

"We should get the girls to do it." Carolyn added, "As it is our song." 

Sirius turned to Lily and whispered something to her. It made her giggle and she nodded 

"Come on. We need to practice."

* * *

Next night 

There was a lot of the Gryffindor house in the Common Room. The table had been transfigured for the night so there would be enough room for everyone and seats had been placed. A makeshift stage was also there. 

"I can't believe I let you guys talk me into this." Hannah said, "I can't sing." 

"Yes you can, you just need to believe in yourself." Lily responded and gave her a smile. 

Faith Johnson got on stage and said "Welcome boys and girls to the first and probably last Gryffindor Talent show. Tonight we have a few brave Gryffindors performing and a special performance at the end. First up is Sirius Black and Lily Evans." 

There were a few girls who looked like they were gonig to faint. James and Remus looked at Sirius skeptically. 

They got onto the stage and waited for the music to start 

* * *

**(different parts will have names by them)**

* * *

**Sirius:** Let me be your wings  
Let me be your only love  
Let me take you far beyond the stars  
Let me be your wings  
Let me lift you high above  
Everything we're dreaming of will soon be ours  
Anything that you desire  
Anything at all  
Everyday I'll take you higher  
And I'll never let you fall

Let me be your wings  
Leave behind the world you know  
For another world of wondrous things  
We'll see the universe  
And dance on Saturn's rings  
Fly with me and I will be your wings

Anything that you desire  
Anything at all  
**Lily:** Anything at all  
Everyday I'll take you higher  
And I'll never let you fall

**Lily:** You will be my wings  
**Sirius:** (Let me be your wings)  
**Lily:** You will be my only love  
**Sirius:** Get ready for another world of wondrous things

We'll see the universe  
And dance on Saturn's rings  
Heaven isn't too far  
**Lily:** Heaven is where you are  
Stay with me and  
Let me be your wings

There was a huge round of applause. Sirius looked at Lily gobsmaked 

"I can't believe I just did that." 

"Well you did." Lily grinned 

"Next up is Carolyn Sharpe." 

Carolyn got up on stage and looked around nervously waiting for the music to come on. 

I have often dreamed  
Of a far off place  
Where a hero's welcome  
Would be waiting for me  
Where the crowds will cheer  
When they see my face  
And a voice keeps saying  
This is where I'm meant to be

I'll be there someday  
I can go the distance  
I will find my way  
If I can be strong  
I know ev'ry mile  
Will be worth my while  
When I go the distance  
I'll be right where I belong

Down an unknown road  
To embrace my fate  
Though the road may wander  
It will lead me to you  
And a thousand years  
Would be worth the wait  
It may take a lifetime  
But somehow I'll see it through

And I won't look back  
I can go the distance  
And I'll stay on track  
No I won't accept defeat  
It's an uphill slope  
But I won't lose hope  
Till I go the distance  
And my journey is complete

But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part  
For a hero's strength is measured by his heart

Like a shooting star  
I can go the distance  
I will search the world  
I will face its harms  
I don't care how far  
I can go the distance  
TillI find my hero's welcome  
Waiting in your arms...

I will search the world  
I will face its harms  
Till I find my hero's welcome  
Waiting in your arms... 

As the song finished Carolyn sighed with relief and everyone cheered. All her friends crowded around her and hugged her. 

"I'm so glad that's over. I'm never doing that again." 

"Don't say that!" Hannah said, "I'm on after this next song. Faith's managed to convince Seth to do it. The guy can actually sing as well - I should know, I dated him." 

They listened to Seth perform his version of a Bon Jovi song - Livin' on a Prayer. After he finished there was whistling and cheering. 

"I can't do this." Hannah said suddenly 

"Hannah get your ass on that stage now!" The girls retorted and she did, although looking like she was about to faint. 

Dancing bears,  
Painted wings,  
Things I almost remember,  
And a song someone sings  
Once upon a December.

Someone holds me safe and warm.  
Horses prance through a silver storm.  
Figures dancing gracefully  
Across my memory...

(Instrumental interlude)

Someone holds me safe and warm.  
Horses prance through a silver storm.  
Figures dancing gracefully  
Across my memory...

Far away, long ago,  
Glowing dim as an ember,  
Things my heart  
Used to know,  
Things it yearns to remember...

And a song  
Someone sings  
Once upon a December 

Hannah practically fell into Remus' arms as soon as she got off the stage. 

"I can't believe that's the first time I've ever heard you sing properly and it was amazing." 

"I'm with Caz!" She muttered, "I am not doing that again anytime soon in front of people on my own!" 

"Go on Claz, your turn." 

Clare walked onto the stage confidently and sighed slightly before the song started. 

If there's a prize for rotten judgement,  
I guess I've already won that  
No man is worth the agrivation  
That's ancient history,  
Been there  
Done that

Who'd ya think you're kidding?  
He's the earth and heaven to ya  
Try to keep it hidden, honey we can see right through ya  
Girl ya can't conceal it  
We know how you're feelin', who you're thinking of

No chance, no way, I won't say it, no no  
You swoon, you sigh  
Why deny it, uh oh  
It's too...cliché  
I won't say I'm in love  
(Oooooh ooooh oooh)

I thought my heart had learned its lesson  
It feels so good when ya start out  
My head is screaming "get a grip, girl!"  
"Unless you're dying to cry your heart out!" Ooooh oooh

You keep on denying  
Who you are and how you're feelin'  
Baby, we're not lying, hone we saw ya Hit the ceiling  
Face it like a grown up  
When ya gonna own up that ya got, got, got it back?

Woah  
No chance, no way, I won't say it, no no  
Give up, give in  
Check the grin, you're in love!  
You're doing flips read our lips you're in love

You're way off base  
I won't say it  
Get off my case  
I won't say I'm in love

No chance, no way, I won't say it, no no  
Give up, give in  
Check the grin, you're in love!  
The scene won't play  
I won't say I'm in love  
You'er doing flips read our lips you're in love

You're way off base  
I won't say it  
Girl, don't be proud, it's ok, you're in love

No chance, no way, I won't say it, no no  
Give up, give in  
Check the grin, you're in love!  
The scene won't play  
I won't say I'm in love

Ooooooh  
At least out loud  
I won't say I'm in...love

Sha la la la la la...(sigh) 

Clare jumped off stage and yelled over the noise. 

"That was one of _the_ most scariest experiences of my life!" She smiled, "But it was one of the best!" 

They listened to the last few people performing and then the four girls got on stage and Lily took the microphone. 

"Right, well what we're gonna do now is we are going to perform a song all of you will have heard at some point this year because we got got complaints about our singing. " 

A few people laughed 

"It became a sort of anthem to theall 7th year girls in our first year, which is why we're gonna finish with it - all of us." Hannah added 

All the girls got up on stage and the music started. 

Where have all the good men gone  
And where are all the gods?  
Where's the street-wise Hercules  
To fight the rising odds?  
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?  
Late at night toss and turn and dream of what I need

_Chorus_  
I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night  
He's gotta be strong  
And he's gotta be fast  
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight  
I need a hero  
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light  
He's gotta be sure  
And it's gotta be soon  
And he's gotta be larger than life

Somewhere after midnight  
In my wildest fantasy  
Somewhere just beyond my reach  
There's someone reaching back for me  
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat  
It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet

_Chorus_

Up where the mountains meet the heavens above  
Out where the lightning splits the sea  
I would swear that there's someone somewhere  
Watching me

Through the wind and the chill and the rain  
And the storm and the flood  
I can feel his approach  
Like the fire in my blood

_Chorus_

There was a huge cheer from all the Gryffindors and Faith took the microphone and said. 

"That's all for tonight. everyone vote and put the votes inthe appropriate box and the winner will be announced tomorrow on the notice board. Goodnight everyone." 


	40. Quidditch Final

The weeks after were spent studying for NEWTS (although Sirius and James were made to study). Without noticing, it was soon mid April and they all realised they needed some fun - this was going to come with the Quidditch final between Gryffindor and Slytherin. No one quite knew how they managed to play them again but they were and Dumbledore had decided the match was to be played in April. James had needed to train a new Chaser - he was a scrawny little boy in the 6th year, who in James' opinion had no natural talent for Quidditch, but he had been the best out of the people who had tried out for the position. Sirius hadn't been happy with the decision and had taken to not speaking to Hannah because of it. This had caused an argument with Remus and had left all of them somewhat lost with their friendships because the girls took Hannah's side except for Lily because she didn't know what to do. Lily felt like she was in a no win situation because although Hannah was one of her best friends, Sirius was her boyfriend and she was close to him and she thought neither of them deserved to be ignored by the other.

The morning of the match came and James was trying one last attempt at convincing Hannah to play.

"Hannah! Please!" James begged

"For the last time James!" Hannah snapped, rather agitated "Read my lips. NO!"

"When have I ever begged you?"

Hannah sighed

"I can't play with a team that doesn't want me to."

James looked at her pleadingly

"You mean Drake and Romeo - they're idiots!" James replied, "This is your last year to try and win this and this was supposed to be your first final. We're no good without you."

"He's right." Oliver and Seth came up behind them

She smiled at them and said

"I gotta go. Good luck though you guys."

She left and Sirius joined them.

"If we lose, I'm personally blaming her for it." He muttered

"No you won't!" James snapped, "No matter how much you two piss each other off you will still make up and talk to each other. She's your sister for God's sakes and you love her no matter what."

"Come on." Seth said, "We've got a match to lose."

"You make it sound like we've already lost." Sirius said.

"We Have!" The other three responded

"We don't flow anymore. We used to connect but we don't do that now."

They made their way to the Quidditch pitch and met up with the rest of the team. They saw Dante, he looked like he was going to faint. This made the rest of the team laugh and they started telling him stories.

"Don't worry – Your first match is always the worst." Sirius said, "Although not that I actually remember my first match since I kinda knocked myself out."

James looked at him and laughed at the memory and then looked at Dante who looked as white as a sheet.

"He's messin' with ya head." James said to him, "The chances of you getting hit with a bludger are… well pretty high actually since we're playing Slytherin."

Madam Hooch came and told them to come onto the pitch and they grabbed their brooms and made their way onto the pitch. Everyone silently praying. Madam Hooch told the captains to shake hands and they did.

"Ladies, Gentlemen and teachers. Welcome to the Quidditch final between Gryffindor and Slytherin." Carolyn was commentating again, "Gryffindor team is Drake Fry playing Keeper. Oliver Bell, Seth Johnson and Dante Folens as Chasers. Sirius Black and Romeo McLaughlin are the Beaters and James Potter as Captain and Seeker. The Slytherin team consists of, Craig Owens as Keeper. Paul McGuire, Aaron Devine and Douglas Smith as Chasers. Harley Davis and Gregory Addison as Beaters and Captain and Seeker, Lucius Malfoy."

There were cheers as the teams mounted their brooms and Madam Hooch blew the whistle.

"Gryffindor in possession. Oliver Bell has the Quaffle. He passes to Dante Folens. I don't believe it – he's just _dropped _the Quaffle! Aaron Devine takes it and heads for the Gryffindor goal and he scores! What was Drake Fry doing? Slytherin lead _10 – 0._"

Gryffindor let out a load chorus of boos, which drowned out the cheers of the Slytherins. Things didn't get much better for Gryffindor as Slytherin put another five past the Keeper. Seth Johnson however got one back.

"The score is 60 – 10 to Slytherin." Carolyn said, "Sirius Black hitting a bludger away from Dante Folens. Harley Davis retaliates and…. Has he just done what I think he did?"

Carolyn went silent. Davis had just hit Sirius on the back of the head with the beaters bat, causing him to fall off his broom.

* * *

"SIRIUS!" Lily and Hannah screamed 

Madam Hooch stopped the game and they saw the Gryffindor team see if Sirius was okay.

"Hannah Caldwell!" Remus yelled, "You get your ass down onto that Quidditch pitch and see if your brother is okay and then you will play!"

The girls stared at him. Hannah stood frozen on the spot. It was the sheer fact that Remus had yelled at her.

"GO!"

She did as she was told and raced as fast as she could down there.

"Wow!" Lily said, amazed.

"It had to be done." Remus replied, "Sirius is gonna be okay, he always is but them two need to talk and kiss and make up as it were. Except slightly different."

* * *

**Quidditch pitch**

* * *

"Is he okay?" Hannah asked, concerned. 

"I'm fine." Sirius said, standing behind her.

She turned and hugged him.

"What you doing down here?" James asked

"I want to play." She answered, "I admit, I can't watch us lose another cup, especially to Slytherin!"

The whole team cheered.

"I hope you don't mind Dante." James said to him

"Mind?" He responded, "I'm never playing on this team again!" and he walked off.

"I'm sorry." Sirius said to Hannah.

"There's time for this later!" James shouted, "Now lets get this game back."

"I don't have a broom." Hannah said, suddenly realising.

"Oh yes you do." James said, "We brought it down in case."

James handed it to her and the team re-mounted their brooms.

"And we are back into the game folks!" Carolyn continued commentating, "With what looks like a slight change to the Gryffindor team. Hannah Caldwell is back playing for Gryffindor!"

Gryffindor cheered and there was a few whistles in the crowd. The team was sure they heard someone say.

"You can do it!"

It seemed to give them a new found confidence. Gryffindor scored twice in the first five minutes of play restarting – both scored by Hannah.

"JAMES!" someone shouted to him, "IT'S BELOW YOU!"

James knew what they meant and caught sight of the snitch. He whizzed after it and was sure that Malfoy was hot on his tail, but he didn't care. He was going to get that snitch, whatever it took. He slowly stretched out his left arm and his fingertips touched the snitch. He grabbed it. And punched his arm into the air.

"GRYFFINDOR HAVE WON!" Carolyn screamed excitedly, "THEY'VE WON THE CUP!"

James opened his hand slightly after he had steadied his broom and threw the snitch into the air. He let out a sigh of relief and pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He flew down to the ground and was met by the rest of the team. Madam Hooch presented him with the cup. He looked at it for a moment and then passed it to Hannah.

"You should have it." He said, "After all, you are the one who made me Captain and then inspired the team."

"We all deserve it." Hannah said, "We all worked for it! And we _finally_ got our reward!"

James and Sirius both kissed her cheek and she put her arms round their shoulders.

"I think this calls for a celebration!" She laughed.

"What made you come?" Sirius asked her

At first she didn't answer

"Remus." She replied finally, "Just let's say, he's pretty scary when he shouts!"

"Oh so true." They added

They made their way back to the Common Room and they were greeted with roars and cheers. Butterbeer was passed around and James yelled.

"To a Gryffindor victory!"

And everyone cheered at it.


	41. NEWTS

NEWTS came and it had everyone panicking. The seven of them had taken it in different ways, most of them had been pretty confident apart from Lily and Hannah (Lily had actually thrown up on the first morning due to nerves), confident until they had had their Potions exam.

* * *

Flashback 

Professor Java had just collected in the papers and they all looked at each other with apprehension. They knew it would have been difficult but not as bad as it had been. They were just relieved that it was all going to be over by the end of the week. They walked out quickly and stopped when they reached the front of the school. Lily and Clare looked like they were going to faint whilst the rest of them were recovering from the test.

"Okay, I knew that would be hard." Sirius said, "But that was a killer!"

"I know, the hardest question had to be the one about the love potion." Lily added, "I mean 10 marks for naming it, how you recognise it, characteristics and how it smells! That's like the difference between grades!"

"Amortentia." Hannah said quietly, "It's one of the most powerful love potions in the world. It has a distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen and characteristic spirals. Plus it smells differently to each person, whatever we like the most of or something like that. And I ain't even gonna go into what I smell!"

They stared at her blankly for a moment, not knowing what to say.

"How did you know that?" They asked

"I pay attention in class." She answered

"Face it you guys." Lily sighed, "Hannah's aced that test."

"If she knows everything then she'll know the answer to number 15." James said, "What are the side effects if you drink Felix Felicis in excess?"

Hannah sighed

"Giddiness, recklessness and it gives the person dangerous overconfidence and is highly toxic in large quantities." Hannah answered, "That's partly why it is banned in sporting competitions. That, and it makes them the best at the sport via luck."

"Damn!"

"And I may have aced that test but we will all have aced at least one test out of all of them." Hannah commented and they muttered in agreement.

They made their way outside into the grounds and settled down by a tree, the exact same tree they had sat under when they had their OWLS, except then the girls had been sitting by the lake. They settled down and relaxed in the sun. James was playing with the snitch again and Sirius had taken to chasing Lily. The other four were revising for their Arithmacy exam. Lily finally let Sirius catch her and he tickled her. They settled down on the grass and Sirius wrapped his arms around her.

"I can't believe this will probably be one of the last times we'll be doing this." Lily said quietly

"It's depressing ain't it!"

"Yeah." They all agreed.

"Hang on a minute." James said, "What happened to being glad to be out of this place? Remember before we got all depressed about the fact we were leaving, we said we'd be glad to leave here."

"Yeah, we know." Clare answered

"But James, we've got so many memories here, it's like leaving a huge part of us behind." Hannah added, "That's why we don't want to leave, this is our home and it has been for the last seven years. It'll be strange to leave after all this time. Although even I have to admit I am looking forward to getting out of here and being able to enjoy things without you lot being there. No offence like."

"I think that's how we all feel." Lily smiled

"Yep." Remus and Sirius agreed

"I for one have an extremely good reason why to leave this place though don't I?" Carolyn sighed, "It'll be nice to get out of here and do what I should have done from the beginning."

The boys looked at her curiously, not knowing what she was on about but the girls smiled at each other knowingly.

"What happened to no secrets?" Remus asked Hannah

"Um.." She paused, "Try it ain't my secret to tell, I'm just keeping it."

"Maybe it was best it worked out this way." Clare said, "Because just think what it would be like if it hadn't, yeah there are some advantages to it but not many really if you think about it. Just think of your mother Caz."

She shuddered thinking about it and they laughed.

"Since when have you four turned all knowing?" Sirius asked

"Since forever!"

"I think it's safe to say that you guys are like family to me." Hannah said

"That's a bit of an understatement really ain't it Han? Since I'm your brother." Sirius responded

"You know what I mean."

"Hell yeah!" They agreed

"I came here an only child and left with the best friends a girl could hope for." Carolyn grinned, "Plus added little bonuses such as my boyfriend among other things."

"I came here a Muggle born with no friends and I leave with you guys." Lily laughed

"A girl with everything except you guys and I'm so glad I'm leaving with you." Clare said

"I came here as a reject from one of the richest families in the wizarding world with a brother and a best friend yet I still leave with my brother and best friend except fro the little facts that he's my fiancé and I got my other best friends as well." Hannah smiled, "And you guys are gonna make me cry in a minute."

The girls laughed.

"What about you three?"

"Well we've all got brothers for life no matter what. Special Marauder bond." Sirius said

"I can agree with that." James added

"Same here." Remus finished

**End Flashback**

**

* * *

**

At the end of the week they were all sitting in the grounds again, in the exact same spot but this time they were joined by Rachel and Snape. They were planning the end of school prank, which they had to make sure no one was around so they wouldn't overhear.

"So do you know the spell needed?" Rachel asked Lily

"Uh huh." She answered, "And do you have the potion ingredients needed?" she asked Hannah and Snape

"Apart from one but I can easily get that." Snape said

"And I need to get the book from the forbidden section." Hannah added. "But I can get someone to give me a note to get it or rather to get another book."

"Do you have everything we need?" Carolyn asked James and Sirius

"Yep." They answered

"What about you Remus?"

He nodded

"So it's settled then." Clare said

"Not quite." Hannah said, "We still need to work out what we are going to write."

"Let us do that." Sirius responded, "Because we have an idea but we can't discuss it with you."

"When are we gonna do it?"

"Right, well probably the last night we're here because then we can't get expelled." James said, "It's logical."

They agreed and Lily wrote down everything they needed to know and then closed her book, waiting for everything to be set.


	42. End of an Era

It was the final day and the reality that it was their last ever day there was finally beginning to sink in. Before it had all been joking around about it and being in a depressing state of mind but the reality had finally sunk in and they didn't know how to react about it.

They had spent the night before putting their prank into action - something that would make them be remembered for years to come. How the girls saw it wasn't exactly a prank but it was how the Marauders put it so they weren't going to argue. It had taken the best part of three hours to do with them either using a disillusionment charm or James' invisibility cloak plus the aid of the Marauders map, they just had to wait till the morning to view their handywork. The girls had to wait till morning ot see what the guys had written about them.

"Why doI get the feeling this is going ot cause mass chaos?" Lily asked

"Probably because there will be." Hannah said laughing, "New things always do."

They made their way down to the Common room with Carolyn and Clare and met the boys.

"Moment of truth." They whispered

They walked down and deliberatly walked towards where they had done what they had done and they saw a crowd of people and they grinned. Their happiness was short lived when they saw McGonagoll. They managed to keep a straight face while she was shouting at them but they were sure they saw a small smile grace her face. They stepped back and admired their handiwork. Rachel and Snape joined them and they said.

"Lets hope it stays here for a long time!"

They stood looking the the wall, a wal that now held a lifesize picture of all nine of them and at the bottom signed. Remus - **Moony**, Sirius -** Padfoot** and James - **Prongs** aka The Marauders. Carolyn, Clare, Hannah, Lily and Rachelaka Hell's Angels and finally Severus Snape.

* * *

2 hours later they were on the train home. The last time they would be leaving Hogwarts and to lead their own lives. A few tears had been shed by the girls which they had expected, although more had been shed when Carolyn told the Marauders her secret which had made all the girls cry even more.

"So you lot don't think any less of me?" Carolyn asked

"Why would we?" Sirius asked

"I don't know I think it might have been the fact I have a two year old daughter and I'm 17."

"So?"

"You know I love you guys right?"

The boys looked at each other and nodded

"Yep!"

They were watching everything wizz by whilst looking out of the window. No one saying a word, not until the food trolley had come around and they had gotten some food but even then after the woman had gone, no one said a word until they got into Kings Cross.

"This is it." Lily whispered

"Lil, I'm gonna be here for at least an hour now trying to convince Remus to go on the bike." Hannah said, "This may be the last time we'll be on this train but it's not the end of the world."

They laughed and grabbed their trunks.

"I've told you am not getting on it!" Remus said behind them

"What are you?" Hannah and Lily asked, "A man or a mouse."

"Actually." He whispered to Hannah, "I'm a werewolf." and she rolled her eyes

"You are getting on that bike or I'm leaving you here." She smiled slyly, "And you haven't passed your apparation test yet."

The three of them followed the others onto the platform, which was filled with a mass of people. Lily was looking for her mother and dragged Sirius with her. She found her purely because she saw her sister in the crowd.

"Hey!"

"Lily!" Her mother sighed and pulled her into a hug, "How was your last year?"

"Amazing!" She answered, "Mum, this is Sirius." she motioned her hand towards him. Sirius felt her eyes on him and felt slightly uncomfortable.

"Nice to meet you,Sirius." She smiled

Lily's mother took her trunk and put it on a trolley and walked ahead with her sister.

"She doesn't like me." Sirius said

"I don't think she does either." Lily admitted, "Think it's the hair."

"What's wrong with my hair?" Sirius asked defensively, runnig a hand through it.

"Haven't we already had this conversation?" Lily asked "Because I think we have and like the last time there is nothing wrong with your hair, my mother just doesn't approve of long haired boys."

She kissed him gently on the cheek and he put an arm around her waist.

"So what are we going to do for the next few months?" Lily asked

"Well I have to go get my keys to my flat." Sirius answered, "Well mine and Hannah's flat since she gave me money towards it."

"What would you two do without each other?" Lily asked, "Because you seem to depend on each other for one thing or another."

Sirius shrugged

"So what next for the four Marauders now Hogwarts are free of you."

"Actually it's three Marauders." Sirius said, "And it's our own separate ways at the moment and by separate I mean not together every single day and night."

"What do you mean three?"

"We kinda got rid of Peter." Sirius explained, "After he traded us for a group of Slytherins including Lucius Malfoy. We weren't very happy. James wanted to curse him into oblivion and so was I until Remus being the voice of reason that he is stopped us, let Peter explain and when we said we didn't want filth like him in the Marauders he went off saying he'd make us pay in a way that we couldn't stop."

"Which was?"

"I don't know but Remus does, because he put Peter in a full body bind and said something along the lines of if he even touched someone then he'd personally kill him and then left him in a body bind for four hours."

"Okay." Lily looked puzzled

Sirius laughed.

"So will you come visit me sometimes?" Lily asked Sirius, "Or will you be too busy with your flat? All alone."

"Course I'll visit you." Sirius promised, "And you're making me feel scared now."

Lily giggled.

"Just don't miss me too much." She teased

"But what if I get lonely in the middle of the night?"

Lily thought for a moment and then answered.

"Well maybe I'll stay with you." She was grinning

And they walked through the barrier into the real world, ready for a life outside Hogwarts.

* * *

**In answer to reviews there will be no Harry Potter as there is no Voldemort so there will be no James and Lily, if I wanted a James and Lily story I would have done one from the beginning. I am only doing another 3 or 4 chapters but there will be a sequel maybe 2 not sure yet we'll just have to wait and see. I hope you enjoy**


	43. The Wedding

August came and it seemed like they had all left the thoughts of Hogwarts behind. Lily had moved in with Sirius, much to the annoyance of her mother. Even though it was only a small flat, she found it didn't matter because she had used magic to make sure thart even though the place was messy and crowded with stuff, there was still room to move. Although the only downside to her moving in with him was that she now had to live with the annoying little traits he had.

"I can't believe you convinced me to do this." Lily smiled, turning to face Sirius

"I though I'd have had to persuade you more actually." Sirius admitted, "But I'm glad you did. I get lonely without you."

Lily giggled.

"You're like a lovesick puppy."

Sirius pouted. Something which Lily said he did best.

"I'm not a puppy. I'm a dog. These a difference!"

Lily rolled her eyes and Sirius kissed her nose.

"How much stuff do you own?" Sirius asked disbelivengly as he looked at all the boxes filled with Lily's stuff.

"A lot!"

"What is it with girls and collecting junk?"

"I do not collect junk!" Lily said defensively

Sirius pulled her in for a kiss, wrapping his arms around her. He pulled her onto the couch but quickly jumped up when he sat on the remote for the CD player and music came blasting out of it. Lily burst into hysterics and fell off the couch. Tears fell down her cheeks from laughing.

"That wasn't funny!" He whined

"Oh yes it was!"

Sirius got up and began tickling her.

"Take it back and I'll stop." He said

"No way!" she giggled

* * *

Two weeks later and everyone was excited about the wedding but it wasn't until the morning of the wedding that nerves began to show. The Marauders were their usual calm and collected selves but the girls were running around like headless chickens. 

"I can't do this!" Hannah announced, locked herself into the bathroom and immeadiatly threw up.

Lily knocked on the door.

"Hannah?" She said, "Hannah come out!"

She opened the door and Lily said

"You look like hell."

"Thanks!" She muttered sarcastically

"It's nerves." Carolyn told her, "Everyone gets them."

"If it's nerves then why do I feel like running away to the furthest place possible?" She asked

"Sit down here." Lily said, pointing to a chair "We'll do your hair and you can tell us what's on your mind."

Hannah sighed, she sat down and told them.

"I got the whole fairytale wedding, everything a girl wants but somehow I still feel like something is missing from the picture. I'm marrying my best friend and getting everything I've ever wanted but I still feel incomplete andI shouldn't feel like this! Especially not on my wedding day."

She started to cry and her three friends comforted her, reassuring her that everything was going to be okay.

"Maybe it's because you want your family here." Clare said, "For the past seven years you always said you'd've liked to have your mum back."

"But my mum can't come back." Hannah sighed, she looked in the mirror and her reflection showed a frightened girl, not knowing what to do.

"Come on." Lily said, "We best get ready or we're gonna be seriously late."

"The bride is meant to be late!" The other three laughed

"You know what I mean!" Lily laughed

* * *

Meanwhile the boys were calmer than the girls except there was more pacing going on. 

"Will you sit down!" Sirius snapped at Remus, "You're making me nervous."

"Excuse me but you're not the one getting married."

"At least it's you she's marrying." Sirius said

"What do you mean?" Remus asked

"What he means." James answered, "is that he wouldn't let anyone else marry Hannah."

Sirius nodded in agreement

"I trust you, so I know you'll look after her and treat her right and if it was anyone else I'd probably have either warned them off or be laying into them."

"Sirius, I'd be the same with her if I wasn't about to marry her." Remus reponded, "She's been my best friend since like forever. I'd be telling her she's making the wrong decision."

James laughed and they looked at him.

"God, you'd think she was eight not eighteen the way you two are going on. I almost feel sorry for her knowing you two."

"Enough of this." Remus said, "Before I say something I'll regret later."

"So..."

There was an awkward silence.

"So how are things with you and Lily?" James asked Sirius

"They're going great, well since she's moved in. It's been really chaotic these last few weeks trying to get her stuff sorted and everything. Her mum doesn't approve though, something about she's too young, she hardly knows me, I have hair problems andI live in a flat so I'm no good. The hardly knows bit ain't true because i've known her for 7 years, I do not have hair problems, and just because I live in a flat doesn't make me no good." Sirius answered, "That's what she told her mum."

"What about the too young bit?"

"She didn't say."

"We're gonna have to go." Sirius said, looking at the clock

* * *

Outside the church the limosine pulled up and the girls got out, helping Hannah get out along the way. Having her cursing that she was not ever going to get married again because it was too much hassle to get out of a limosine. Them being late meant they almost ran to the doors and they were greeted by Sirius. 

"You're late!" He laughed

They glared at him.

"So where's Hannah?"

They moved and revealed Hannah and Sirius' jaw dropped. Standing in front of him may have been his sister but she looked totally different. Her hair was in soft brown curls and her dress showed her curves. Her face had more colour in it and her eyes sparkled.

"Wow!" He breathed and she smiled

"So how do I look?" She asked

"I think the wow pretty much covers it." Sirius said, "So you scared?"

"Nope." She answered, "I'm absolutely bloody terrified."

Sirius laughed. The music started and they began walking down the aisle. Hannah held her breath, desperatly trying not to look at anyone. She found it took an age to reach the alter and when she did, Remus took hold of her hand, almost as a reassurance.

The priest greeted the congregation by asking

"If anyone here know why these to people should not be married speak now or forever hold your peace."

When no one spoke he went on and said why they were there. He went into readings and prayers and then finally the vows.

"Do you Remus John Lupin take Hannah Caldwell to be your lawful wedded wife? To have an to hold for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"And will you. havelove and cherish herfrom this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part."

"I will."

"And do you Hannah Caldwell take Remus John Lupinto be your lawful wedded husband? To have an to hold for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"And will you. havelove and cherishhimfrom this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part."

"I will."

"Do we have the rings?" James passed the rings over.

Remus took one and said

"I give you this ring as a token of my love for you." and slid the ring ontoHannah's finger.

Hannah took the other ring and repated the asme words, putting it onto Remus' finger.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride."

And Remus lifted Hannah'sveil and kissed herpassionatley.

* * *

**Am so sorry but I didn't know where else to end it! Only 2 more chapters left!**


	44. Betrayal

October came and for the first time in a while Lily, Clare, Hannah, Carolyn and Rachel were going out together to do some shopping. Clare and Carolyn were at Clare's house waiting for the others but they hadn't expected a certain ex Marauder to apparate in.

"Peter!"

"Surprise." He said silkily.

"What do you want?" Carolyn sneered

"To start what I swore I'd do." Peter snarled at her face.

"Get _out_ of here!" Clare screamed

Peter grabbed hold of her arm and twisted it. He threw her onto a chair and tied her up with bonds from his wand. He saw that Carolyn was getting her wand out but he was too quick for her.

"Expelliamus!"

Carolyn's wand flew out of her hand but she was flung to the other side of the room, knowing herself out. Peter turned to Clare again, her breathing was getting quicker because she knew he was capable of anything at this present moment in time. She was scared that he was going to make her suffer - or worse, kill her.

"Why are you doing this?" Tears forming in her eyes, "What have me and Caz ever done to you?"

"You took my friends!" He retorted, "You two and those stupid bitches you call your friends."

"Take that back!" She screamed, "We were your friends. Well, maybe not Hannah and Lily, but me and Caz. And they ain't bitches, just because they didn't like you or they looked at you funny don't make them bitches."

"YOU TOOK MY FRIENDS AWAY!"

"NO!" Clare snarled, "YOU did that!YOU lost your friends the day you started talking to Lucius Malfoy and that lot."

Peter now had his wand in her face, fear flashed across her face. She had once thought she knew him but now looking at him, she realised she never did. Standing in front of her was a person full of jealousy and anger.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't do it!" He hissed, "Go on I dare you."

Tears trickled down her face and she whispered

"Because this isn't you." She now looked at his face, still scared, "you were never like this, you were the tagalong, you clung to them and now I see the reality behind your animagus form. It shows the person inside or what they become. That's what you've become - a rat! A filthy dirty little rodent!"

Peter slapped her. He wasn't prepared to use his wand. Yet.

"You're weak Peter Pettigrew!" She spat, "You always were and you always will be! Needing friends who are bigger, stronger, more intelligent than you just so you could survive in school! You resent us because we don't need friends to survive, we didn't need people to do our homework for us because we couldn't do it."

"I resent you because you took my friends away! Idiots blinded by you, thinking you're something special when you're not! And then Remus had to go marry the chief bitch out of the lot of you. You lot are worthless and don't deserve to live!"

Carolyn started to come around and reached out for her wand but Peter saw her.

"Accio wand!"

Carolyn slowly got to her feet but stood frozen on the spot, not wanting to move in case he did anything to her.

"I'm gonna love watching you suffer." He grinned turning to Carolyn, "Especially when I do this."

He turned his wand back on Clare.

"Adava Kedavra!"

There was a flash of green light and Carolyn screamed when she realised what Peter had done, seeing Clare's lifeless body slumped against a chair.

"YOU BASTARD!" She screeched, "WHAT DID SHE EVER DO!"

"There is no way I'm repeating myself." He sneered, "Not to a cheap, pathetic little whore like yourself!"

"I'm not a whore!" She retorted

"I'd call throwing yourself at a Slytherin, sleeping with them and then getting pregnant being a whore."

She desperately wanted to slap him, curse him and kill him at the same time but was paralysed with fear and grief and the fact that she had no wand.

"You really are heartless!" She whispered, "Killing Clare and showing no signs of remorse, I hope you rot in both Azkaban and Hell for what you've done."

"What about for what I'm about to do?" He asked in a fake sweet voice.

Carolyn stood there, colour drained from her face because she knew what he meant.

"Imay rot in Hell, but you'll never see your family or friends again. How does that feel?"

Carolyn didn't answer.

"Well, say goodbye!"

"Goodbye!" She spat, looking directly at his face, knowing what he was about to do, and she silently prayed.

"Adava Kedavra!"

She fell to the ground. Dead. Peter walked over to her body and laughed coldly.

"You stupid bitch. You should have disapparated while you had the chance. But it's too late now. I hope you suffer."

Dropping the wands, he disapparated.

* * *

**I know it's short, but I couldn't think what to write. There's only one more chapter left I'm afraid but I hope you read the sequels.**


	45. The End?

**1 month later.**

No one knew how to react to the deaths of Clare and Carolyn, they didn't want to accept the fact that they were gone, it had hit the girls harder than James, Remus and Sirius but it was Snape who was suffering the most, especially since he had to explain to his daughter that her mother was never coming back and for the first time ever the Marauders actually felt genuinally sorry for him, even they admitted that they wouldn't wish it on anyone, even him.

"You know what tomorrow is?" Snape asked his daughter, tears forming in his eyes

She nodded, looking up at him terrified. She was three years old and was gonig through unimaginable pain. She was scared that her dad was going to leave her as well. She didn't quite understand it all.

"Night sweetie." He kissed her forehead and as he walked out of the room, she began to cry. He turned round.

"Daddy, please don't leave me." She sobbed.

He went back to her bed and hugged her tightly.

"I promise I won't." He whispered to her, stroking her her.

He rocked her gently in his arms for a while until she fell asleep. Tears slipped down his cheeks, she was so innocent yet she now had to grow up without her mother, this was the one thing that terrified him, although he was grieving because he had lost the one person who he had loved and been loved in return, he was more concerned with the fact Alafair was going to grow up without Carolyn. More tears spilled out of his eyes when he took out a photograph from his pocket, something he had kept there since they had left Hogwarts, in it was the two of them laughing and looking like they were enjoying themselves, it tore him apart to look at it now, and to make it worse the Ministry was no closer to finding who did it, even though they knew but they wouldn't believe the words of seven teenagers because there was no proof that Peter Pettigrew had done it even if he had threatened to do it. He left the room quietly becauzse he didn't want his daughter to see him crying. He took a bottle of Firewhiskey and drank the whole bottle, it couldn't solve anything but it suppressed the pain he was feeling. He'd had people asking him how he was doing and that they were there for him but he didn't want anyone's help or pity. Burying his head into a pillow, he sobbed, letting grief take him. The only thing he wanted to do was to take his wand and end it all but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

* * *

A joint funeral had been decided on, for the simple fact that no one, including the families couldn't handle having two. The morning had come but no one wanted it to arrive, it was the reality that it was actually happening, everyone desperately hoping that it was a nightmare that they were going to wake from, instead it was a living nightmare that was all too real. 

At Sirius' and Lily's place no one said anything until the girls left the room to go the bathroom. It was Sirius who spoke first.

"They need to find him." He muttered, "I can't take this anymore, knowing he's done it but no one will do anything about it."

"They won't though, that's the problem." James said, "I can't believe he'd do something like that."

"He was corrupted." Remus responded, "Lucius Malfoy and those Slytherins corrupted his mind and made him think we'd turned against him."

"They're not going to feel safe until he's caught are they?" James asked

The other two shook their heads.

"What about Snape?" Remus added, "He's lost Carolyn. I don't know what I'd do if I was in his position."

"He loved her." Sirius said, "Plain and simple, and as much as I hate him, I wouldn't want him to suffer like he is."

"Same here." James replied

They fell silent again once Lily, Hannah and Rachel came back into the room and they were ready to leave, well, not ready as such, more like they had to leave but didn't want to. When they arrived at the church, they saw a sea of people dressed in black. Fresh tears threatening to surface at any moment. They made their way to the entrance, they saw Snape by the door, slumped against the wall, his head in his arms.

"Hey." Lily whispered to him

He looked up at her, tears stained his cheeks. Lily pulled him into a hug and he practically fell into her arms because he felt to weak to stand properly.

"I've lost everything." He choked

"It's going to be okay." Lily said to him, but in a way that she was almost assuring herself that it was as well.

Snape shook his head.

"No it's not." his voice almost like a whisper, "First Carolyn and now Alafair."

"Why?"

"Carolyn's mother keeps saying after today she's having legal custody of her, that I can't see her anymore because I'm not fit to."

"She can't do that." Lily told him, "Trust me on this, but right now she's going to need you to be strong for her."

He nodded slightly and Lily handed him a tissue.

"I think we'll be needing a lot of these today."

She took hold of his hand.

"Come on, we have to go in."

As they went in, a small girl ran to them and straight into Snape's arms and she clung to them when they sat down at the back. The priest came out and said.

"We are here today to mourn the loss of Carolyn Sharpe and Clare Wells. Both have been taken before their time, both too young to die. No parent should outlive their children and no child should have to grow up without a mother. These two young women were best friends and were killed mercilessly. They will never be forgotten by family, friends and anyone else who knew them."

People began to break down and cry, there was a few short prayers said and then Clare's mother said a small piece about both Clare and Carolyn. Snape had been going to do one but couldn't bear saying a word of what he wanted to, about how much he loved Carolyn and how much he would miss her. On this day there was an agreement for old wounds and bad feelings to rest for this mourning period. There was a sobre feeling amongst the group as they couldn't help thinking, this is it this make it all permanent we really have to let go of them. Sobs a fresh filled the girls and lumps rose in the guys throats as they were hit with a fresh sense of grief.

At the end of the service however sparks did fly.

"You're not taking my daughter!" Snape shouted, "You of all people should know what it's like to have your daughter taken away from you!"

"You'll never be able to take care of her!" Carolyn's mother retorted, "And you certainly were never good enough for my daughter."

"She hated you! You ruined her life and she hated you for it!"

"You'll never be a good father to her."

"Well you never made a fantastic mother but there we go."

Neither noticed the girls plus the Marauders come up behind them. Neither would have expected what was saisd next to be said either.

"Excuse me Ms Sharpe but as much I hate the guy, he'd never let anything happen to Alafair." Sirius said, "And were do you get off critising him? At your daughter's funeral!"

"And he's right, she did hate you." Remus added, "Now leave the poor man to grieve."

Snape looked at them with a look of thanks.

"It'll get better you know." James told him, "Trust me, I know."

The girls pulled him into a hug and said to him

"We'll see you soon, and you can come for Christmas."

They said their goodbyes and slowly walked out into the world, wondering if justice was ever going to be done.

* * *

**ok it's like so totally over and I did not know where to end it or how to so I am so sorry for that! (;-() I've been doing this for over a year! Hope you will read the sequel (No clue to what it will be called yet) and you will have to wait and see about the storyline. I hope you enjoyed.**


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